"The  Flags  of  the  Fighting  15th.."  Color  Bearers  of  the  369th,  marching  up  Fifth  Avenue 
with  Regimental  Colors  bearing  the  decoration  presented  to  the  entire  Regiment  by 
the  French  Government.  These  flags  were  given  to  the  Regiment  by  the  Union  League 
Club  of  New  York,  and  returned  to  the  Club  at  the  close  of  the  war.  The  Regimental 
Standard  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  State  flag  carried  into  action  by  any 
American   unit. 


GROUP   OF  COLORED   OFFICERS   OF  THE   368th   INFANTRY. 
Left    to    right— 7'OB— 1st.    Lt.    Clayborne    George;    1st    Lt.    C.    B.    Curley;    1st    Lt.    \Vm.    Harris. 
Center— 1st    Lt.    J.    S.    Heslip :    Capt.    T.    N.    Dent  ■    2nd    Lt.    F    W     AlexandeT 
Bottom— lat    Lt.    Levi    Anderson;    1st    Lt.    J.    E.    Scott;    1st    Lt.    R.    E.    Banks. 


Above — A  detachment  of  American   Negro   Infantrymen  Operating  in   the   Front  Line   Trenches. 

Below — Here  is  a  photograph  right  from  the  front,  an  unusual  picture  showmg  how  the  trenches 

really  looked.     These  are  American  and  French  Colonial  colored  soldiers  in  a  French  trench. 


WOODROW  WILSON 

Pbesident  of  the  United  States  Dubino  the  Great  World  War, 


Hon.    Newton    D    Baker,    Secretary   of   War.      Throughout   the   war   Seoretaiv    r.  t 

square  deal  for  the  Negro  soldier,  and  was  prompt  to  rectify  evervini.LtF^^'"   ""^'"^'^    <""«■ 
crimination   that  came   to   his  attention  t''""'*^'-  "-o  reciitj    every  injustice  or  case  of  di 


SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 


OF 


THE  AMERICAN  NEGRO 
IN  THE  WORLD  WAR 

BY 

EMMETT  J.  SCOTT,  A.M.,  LL.D. 

Special  Assistant  to  Secretary  of  War 

Author  of  "Tuskegee  and  Its  People,"  "Is  Liberia  Worth  Saving?"  and 
co-Author  of  "Booker  T.  Washington,  Builder  of  a  Civilization." 

Secretary  of  Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute.     Eighteen  years 
Private  Secretary  to  the  Late  Booker  T.  Washington 


A  Complete  and  Authentic  Narration,  from  Official  Sources,  of  the 
Participation  of 

AMERICAN  SOLDIERS  OF  THE  NEGRO  RACE 

in  the 

WORLD  WAR  FOR  DEMOCRACY 


Profusely    Illustrated 

with  Official  Photographs 


A  Full  Account  of  the  War  Work  Organizations  of  Colored  Men  and  Women 
and  other  Civilian  Activities  including 

The  Red  Cross,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  and  the 
War  Camp  Community  Service 

With  Official  Summary  of  Treaty  of  Peace  and 
League  of  Nations  Covenant 


Prefaced  with  Highest  Tributes  to  the  American  Negro 

by 

HON.  NEWTON  D.  BAKER,  Secretary  of  War 

GEN.    JOHN    J.    PERSHING,    Commander-in-Chief,    American    Exp.    Forces. 

and  the  late 
COL.  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT 


.?«.,m.i«  w,  m  a  -M-  A- 


■^ 


"-■rt*-m;:-:"r^f^-ty:. 


:,l''^<r^('lft^■'^■1<>ryj1jWljjj■>'A'4vilfe'^^^ 


=  ( 


CONTENTS  (CONTINUED)  5 

CHAPTER  VI. — A  Critical  Situation  in  the  Camps 75 

Race  Problems  that  Had  to  be  Solved— Fear  of  the  Southern  Whites  that 
Trouble  Would  Follow  the  Training  of  Negro  Troops  in  the  South- 
Situation  Complicated  by  the  Houston  Riot — Protest  of  the  Governor  of 
South  Carolina — Dr.  Scott  Called  to  Spartanburg,  S.  C,  to  Allay  Trouble 
There — How  the  Negro  Soldier  Finally  Won  the  Respect  and  Confidence 
of  the  South. 

CHAPTER  VII.— Colored  Officers  and  How  They  Were  Trained 82 

First  Officers'  Training  Camp  for  Colored  Men  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa- 
Major  J.  E.  Spingarn's  Fight  for  the  Establishment  of  This  Camp — Methods 
of  Training  Reserve  Officers — Negro  Educational  Institutions  Furnish 
Personnel — Seven  Hundred  Colored  Officers  Commissioned  at  Fort  Des 
Moines. 

CHAPTER  VIII. — Treatment  of  Negro  Soldieks  in  Camp 92 

Men  from  the  South  Sent  to  Northern  Camps  to  Face  a  Hard  Winter — 
Attempts  at  Discrimination  Against  Negro  Soldiers  and  Officers — Firm 
Stand  of  the  Secretary  of  War  Against  Race  Discrimination — General 
Ballou's  "Bulletin  No.  35" — Members  of  Draft  Boards  Dismissed  for  Dis- 
crimination Against  the  Race. 

CHAPTER  IX. — Efforts  to  Improve  Conditions 105 

Secretary  Baker  and  the  Trying  Situation  at  Camp  Lee,  Virginia — Reports 
on  Investigations  at  Numerous  Camps — Improved  Conditions  Brought 
About  Gradually — The  Case  of  Lieutenant  Tribbett  and  Similar  Cases  of 
Race  Prejudice. 

CHAPTER  X. — Negro  Soldiers  of  France  and  England 117 

French  Colored  Colonials  the  First  Black  Soldiers  to  Take  Part  in  the 
War — The  Story  of  These  Senegalese  Fighters — Their  Important  Part  from 
the  Beginning  of  the  War — The  Fight  for  the  African  Colonies — German 
Employment  of  Negro  Troops  in  the  Early  Part  of  the  War. 

CHAPTER  XL— The  Negro  Combat  Division 130 

Full  Detailed  Account  of  the  Organization  and  Fighting  Campaigns  of 
the  Famous  Ninety-Second,  as  Recorded  by  the  Division's  Official  His- 
torian— Complete  Official  Reports  of  Every  Battle  in  Which  the  Ninety- 
Second  Took  Part — Commendation  by  Commanding  Officers. 

CHAPTER  XII.— Citations  and  Awards,  92nd  Division 173 

Officers  and  Men  of  the  Famous  Negro  Division  Whose  Heroic  Conduct 
Gained  for  Them  the  Distinguished  Service  Ci'oss — Details  of  Their  Deeds 
of  Heroism  in  Action — Special  Mention  of  Officers  and  Men  by  Various 
Commanding  Officers. 

CHAPTER  XIII.— The  Story  of  "The  Buffaloes" 190 

Glorious  Record  of  the  367th  Infantry  Regiment — Colonel  James  A.  Moss — 
Presentation  of  Colors  by  the  Union  League  Club — "The  Buffaloes"  In 
France — How  They  "Saw  It  Through"  at  Metz — Their  Heroic  Conduct 
Under  Fire — Regimental  Colors  Decorated  by  Order  of  the  French  High 
Command — A  Tribute  from  France  to  "These  Sunburned  Americans." 


6  CONTENTS  (CONTINUED) 

CHAPTER  XIV.— Record  of  ' '  The  Old  Fifteenth  " 197 

The  Glorious  Story  of  the  369th  United  States  Infantry,  Formerly  of  the 
New  York  National  Guard — The  Regiment  That  Never  Lost  a  Man  Cap- 
tured, a  Trench,  or  a  Foot  of  Ground — First  Negro  Troops  to  Go  Into 
Action  In  France. 

CHAPTER  XV.— ''The  Eighth  iLLrN-Qis" 214 

story  of  the  370th  U.  S.  Infantry — Another  Negro  National  Guard  Regi- 
ment that  Won  Distinction  on  the  Battlefield — Chicago's  Colored  Fighters — 
Called  "Black  Devils"  by  the  Germans  and  "Partridges"  by  the  French 
Because  of  Their  Proud  Bearing — First  American  Troops  to  March  into 
the  Fortified  City  of  Laon — Their  Stubborn  Resistance  at  the  OIse-Alsne 
Canal. 

CHAPTER  XVI. — The  371st  Infantry  in  France 231 

How  This  Colored  Regiment  of  the  "Red  Hand"  Division  Helped  to  Win 
the  War — Service  in  the  Trenches  under  General  Goybet — In  the  Great 
Champagne  Offensive — Fierce  Fighting  and  Heavy  Losses — The  Regiment 
Decorated  by  the  French — Individual  Citations  and  Awards. 

CHAPTER  XVII.— The  Record  of  the  372nd 239 

A  Regiment  Made  Up  of  National  Guard  Troops  and  Drafted  Men — Attached 
to  the  Famous  F-rench  "Red  Hand"  Division — Its  Splendid  Record  In 
France — At  Hill  304 — Heroic  Exploits  of  Individuals — The  Regiment  Dec- 
orated with  the  Croix  de  Guerre — Citations  and  Awards. 

CHAPTER  XVIII.— Negro  Heroes  of  the  War 256 

The  Exploit  of  Henry  Johnson  and  Needham  Roberts — How  One  American 
Soldier  in  No-Man's  Land  Killed  Four  Germans  and  Wounded  Twenty- 
Eirht  Others  Single-Handed — First  American  Soldiers  to  Receive  the 
French  Crotx  de  Guerre — Other  Instances  of  Individual  Heroism  by  Negro 
Soldiers. 

CHAPTER  XIX.— The  Negro  Soldier  as  a  Fighter 274 

Unanimous  Praise  by  Military  Observers — Value  of  Negroes  as  Shock 
Troops — Discipline  and  Morale  Under  Fire — What  the  War  Correspondents 
Said  About  Them — Comments  by  Foreign  Military  Observers — Estimates 
by  American  and  French  Officers. 

CHAPTER  XX.— With  Ocir  Soldiers  in  Prance 284 

Official  Reports  of  the  Only  Accredited  Negro  War  Correspondent — Ralph 
W.  Tyler,  Representative  with  the  A.  E.  F.  of  the  U.  S.  Committee  on  Public 
Information — The  Story  of  the  Life  and  Fighting  of  American  Negro 
Soldiers  in  France  as  Seen  by  This  Trained  Observer. 

CHAPTER  XXI.— Negro  Music  That  Stirred  France 300 

Recogrnltion  of  the  Value  of  Music  by  the  U.  S.  War  Department — The 
Patriotic  Music  of  Colored  Americans — Lieutenant  James  Europe  and  His 
Famous  "Jazz"  Band — Other  Leaders  and  Aggregations  of  Musicians — 
Enthusiasm  of  the  French  People  and  Officers  for  American  Music  as 
Interpreted  by  These  Colored  Artists  and  Their  Bandsmen. 


CONTENTS   (CONTINUED)  7 

CHAPTER  XXII. — The  Negro  in  the  Service  of  Supply 315 

A  Vast  Army  of  Colored  Stevedores  In  France — Their  Important  and 
Efficient  Work — Essential  to  the  Combatant  Army  In  the  Trenches — Their 
Loyalty  and  Cheerfulness — Important  Lessons  Learned  In  the  War — The 
Labor  Battalions — Well-Earned  Tributes  to  These  Splendid  Colored 
Workers  Overseas. 

CHAPTER  XXIII.— "With  Those  Who  Wait" 328 

Provision  for  Technical  Training  of  Draftees — Units  that  Did  Not  Get  to 

France — Vocational  and  Educational  Opportunities  Opened  to  Them — The 
Negro  in  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps — In  the  Reserve  Officers' 
Training  Corps. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. — German  Propaganda  Among  Negroes 344 

Insidious  Efforts  to  Create  Dissatisfaction  Among  Colored  Americans — • 
Germany's  Treacherous  Promises — How  the  Hun  Tried  to  Undermine  the 
Loyalty  of  Our  Negro  Citizens — Steps  Taken  to  Combat  Enemy  Propa- 
ganda— Work  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Information. 

CHAPTER  XXV.— How  Colored  Civilians  Helped  to  Win 355 

Their  Co-operation  in  All  the  Liberty  Loan  Drives — The  Negro  and  the 
Red  Cross — In  the  United  War  Work  Campaign — How  the  Negroes  Bought 
War  Savings  Stamps — Special  Contributions  and  Work  of  Colored  Citi- 
zens— The  "Committee  of  One  Hundred"  and  Its  Valuable  Work. 

CHAPTER  XXVI.— Negro  Labor  in  War  Time 365 

Organization  for  War  Work — The  Division  of  Negro  Economics — Pioneer 
Work  of  Dr.  George  E.  Haynes — Negro  Representation  in  Council — Seeking 
to  Improve  Race  Relations — Good  Work  by  Negroes  In  the  Shipyards — 
Attitude  of  Organized  Labor — The  Opportunities  of  the  War. 

CHAPTER  XXVII.— Negro  Women  in  War  Work 374 

Enthusiastic  Service  of  Colored  Women  in  the  Wartime  Emergency — Over- 
coiuing  the  Problems  of  Race  by  Pure  Patriotism — Work  for  the  Red 
Cross — The  Young  Women's  Christian  Association — The  Colored  Hostess 
Houses  and  Rest  Rooms  for  Soldiers — War  Problems  of  Living — The  Circle 
for  Negro  War  Relief — Colored  Women  in  the  Loan  Drives — Important 
Work  in  War  Industries. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII.— Social  Welfare  Agencies 398 

Important  Welfare  Work  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and 
Other  Organized  Bodies — Negro  Secretaries  of  the  Y.  ivl.  C.  A. — The  Prob- 
lem of  Illiteracy  in  the  Camps — The  Social  Secretaries — Results  of  Educa- 
tion— The  Y.  W.  C.  A.  Hostess  Houses — The  Knights  of  Columbus- -Caring 
tor  Retained  Soldiers. 

CHAPTER  XXIX.— Negro  Loyalty  and  Morale 411 

Eager  Response  of  Colored  Draftees — Notable  Tributes  to  the  Patriotism 
of  the  Negro  Race  by  the  White  Press — Also  by  President  Wilson,  Secretary 
Baker,  Secretary  Daniels  and  Others — Negro  Loyalty  Never  Doubted — 
Patriotic  Negro  Demonstrations  and  Other  Instances  of  Loyalty. 


8  CONTENTS  (CONTINTJED) 

CHAPTER  XXX.— Did  the  Negro  Soldier  Get  a  Square  De.vl  ? 426 

Reports  of  Widespread  Discrimination  and  Harsh  Treatment  in  Camp — 
Many  Manifestations  of  Prejudice  by  Wtiite  Officers — The  Question  of 
White  or  Negro  Officers  for  Negro  Regiments — Higher  Officers  of  the  Army 
Usually  Fair — Disinclination  to  Utilize  Colored  Nurses  and  Colored  Medical 
Men — Secretary  Baker's  Efforts  to  Prevent  Race  Discrimination — Reports 
of  Negro  Observers  on  Conditions  Overseas. 

CHAPTER  XXXI.—What  the  Negro  Got  Out  of  the  War 458 

A  Keener  Sense  of  His  Rights  and  Privileges  as  a  Citizen  of  the  United 
States — Racial  Attitude  of  the  South — Returning  Negro  Soldiers  and  Con- 
ditions in  the  North — The  Attitude  of  Or^nized  Labor — Instances  of  Dis- 
crimination— The  Black  Man  and  His  Claims  to  Equal  Treatment. 


APPENDIX. — Colored  Officers  Commissioned  at  Ft.  Des  Moines.  . . .   471 

Colored  Chaplains  in  the  U.  S.  Army 482 

Official  Summary  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace 483 

Map  of  Central  Europe  Showing  Territorial  Changes  Under  the 
Treaty    , 502 

Key  to  the  Map 503 

Final  Changes  in  the  Treaty 504 

Chronology  of  the  World  W^vr 505-512 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

The  Negro,  in  the  great  World  War  for  Freedom  and  Democracy, 
has  proved  to  be  a  notable  and  inspiring  figure.  The  record  and 
achievements  of  this  racial  group,  as  brave  soldiers  and  loyal  citi- 
zens, furnish  one  of  the  brightest  chapters  in  American  history. 
The  ready  response  of  Negro  draftees  to  the  Selective  Service  calls — 
together  with  the  numerous  patriotic  acti\dties  of  Negroes  generally, 
gave  ample  e\ddence  of  their  whole-souled  support  and  their  100 
per  cent  Americanism.  It  is  difficult  to  indicate  which  rendered  the 
greater  service  to  their  Country — the  400,000  or  more  of  them  w^ho 
entered  active  military  service  (many  of  whom  fearlessly  and  vic- 
toriously fought  upon  the  battlefields  of  France)  or  the  millions  of 
other  loyal  members  of  this  race  whose  useful  industiy  in  fields, 
factories,  forests,  mines,  together  with  many  other  indispensable 
civilian  activities,  so  vitally  helped  the  Federal  authorities  in  carry- 
ing the  war  to  a  successful  conclusion. 

When  war  against  Germany  was  declared  April  6,  1917,  Negro 
Americans  quickly  recognized  the  fact  that  it  was  not  to  be  a  white 
man's  tvar,  nor  a  black  mmi's  war,  but  a  war  of  all  the  people  living 
under  the  ''Stars  and  Stripes"  for  the  preservation  of  human  liberty 
throughout  the  world.  Despite  efforts  of  pro-German  propagandists 
to  dampen  their  ardor  or  cool  their  patriotism  by  pointing  out  seem- 
ing inconsistencies  between  their  treatment  as  American  citizens 
and  their  expected  loyalty  as  American  soldiers,  more  than  one 
million  of  them  (1,078,331),  according  to  the  Second  Official  Report 
of  the  Provost  Marshal  General,  promptly  responded  to,  and  regis- 
tered under  the  three  Selective  Sei-vice  calls.  More  than  400,000 
Negro  soldiers  (367,710  draftees  plus  voluntaiy  enlistments  and 
those  already  in  the  Eegiilar  Army)  were  called  to  the  colors  and 
offered  their  lives  in  defense  of  the  American  flag  dufing  the  recent 
war.  Relative  to  their  population,  proportionately  more  Negroes 
were  *' drafted"  than  w^as  tnie  of  white  men. 

The  Negro  was  represented  in  practically  every  branch  of 
military  service  during  the  Great  World  War, — including  Infantry, 
Cavalry,  Engineer  Coi*ps,  Field  Artillery,  Coast  Artillery,  Signal 
Corps  (radio  or  wireless  telegraphers).  Medical  Corps,  Hospital  and 
Ambulance  Corps,  Aviation   Corps    (ground   section),   Veterinary 

9 


10  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

Corps,  and  in  Stevedore  Regiments,  Service  or  Labor  Battalions, 
Depot  Brigades,  and  so  forth. 

Nor  was  this  the  first  instance  in  the  Nation's  history  that  this 
ever-loyal  racial  group  rightly  and  cheerfully  responded  to  the 
tocsin  of  war  and  made  a  military  record  of  which  any  race  might 
well  be  proud.  In  the  Revolutionary  War,  in  the  War  of  1812,  in 
the  Mexican  War,  in  the  Civil  War,  and  in  the  War  with  Spain, — 
the  American  Negro  soldier  has  alw^ays  distinguished  himself  by 
bravery,  fortitude,  and  loyalty.  His  military  record  has  always 
compared  favorably  with  that  of  other  soldiers. 

It  is  because  of  the  immensely  valuable  contribution  made  by 
Negro  soldiers,  sailors,  and  civilians  toward  the  winning  of  the  great 
World  War  that  this  volume  has  been  prepared, — in  order  that  there 
may  be  an  authentic  record,  not  only  of  the  military  exploits  of  this 
particular  racial  group  of  Americans,  but  of  the  diversified  and 
valuable  contributions  made  by  them  as  patriotic  ci\dlians. 

A  notable  group  of  colored  Americans,  men  and  w^omen,  has 
joined  me  in  this  effort  adequately  to  present  a  reliable  record  of 
the  many  services  and  sacrifices  that  the  Negro  race  has  willingly 
laid  upon  the  altar  of  Patriotism.  It  is  a  matter  of  profound  satis- 
faction to  have  had  the  earnest  cooperation  of: 

Carter  G.  Woodson,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.,  Director  of  Research,  The 
Association  for  the  Study  of  Negro  Life  and  History,  whose  mono- 
graphs on  Negro  Life  and  History  appear  regularly  in  the  ''Journal 
of  Negro  History,"  the  one  publication  of  its  kind  in  America.  Dr. 
Woodson  is  a  graduate  of  Harvard  University,  from  which  he  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  Ph.  D.,  and  is  an  authority  on  Negro  History. 
His  cooperation  is,  therefore,  rightly  to  be  prized  as  bringing  to  this 
work  an  appreciation  of  historical  values. 

RaIuPii  W.  Tyler,  accredited  Negro  War  Correspondent,  who 
served  overseas,  representing  the  Committee  on  Public  Information. 
Mr.  Tyler  had  full  opportunity  at  the  front  to  know  how  colored 
soldiers  acquitted  themselves  in  camps  and  upon  the  battlefields  of 
France.  His  letters  and  official  reports  sent  to  America  and  pub- 
lished through  the  Committee  on  Public  Information  in  various 
white  and  colored  newspapers  of  the  country  contained  first-hand 
information  concerning  Negro  troops  overseas,  and  served  to  keep 
up  the  morale  of  colored  Americans  at  a  time  when  there  was  much 
anxiety  and  complaint  among  them  due  to  the  fact  that  adequate 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE  11 

news  regarding  the  treatment  and  activities  of  Negro  soldiers  abroad 
was  not  finding  its  way  into  the  press  of  the  country. 

William  Anthony  Aery,  Publication  Secretaiy  of  the  Hampton 
Normal  and  Agricultural  Institute,  and  Monroe  N.  Work,  in  charge 
of  the  Division  of  Records  and  Research  at  Tuskegee  Normal  and 
Industrial  Institute,  both  of  whom,  being  connected  with  the  largest 
industrial  schools  among  colored  people  in  the  United  States,  had 
full  opportunity  to  observe  the  conduct  and  training  of  Negro  sol- 
diers in  the  various  Vocational  Detachments,  Students '  Army  Train- 
ing Corps,  and  Reserve  Officers'  Training  Corps  units;  their  counsel 
and  data  furnished  have  been  of  material  assistance  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  this  volume. 

Mrs.  Alice  Dunbar-Nelson  (formerly  the  wife  of  Paul  Laurence 
Dunbar,  the  **Poet  Laureate"  of  the  Negro  race),  who  wrote 
Chapter  XXVII,  entitled:  ''Negro  Women  in  War  Work."  Mrs. 
Nelson,  prominent  in  educational  and  literary  circles,  was  actively 
engaged  during  the  war  in  helping  to  mobilize  the  colored  women  of 
the  country  for  effective  war  work,  representing  the  Women's  Divi- 
sion of  the  Council  of  National  Defense ;  she  traveled  extensively  in 
various  parts  of  the  country  in  the  effort  to  promote  patriotic  activi- 
ties among  the  colored  women  of  America,  and  with  eloquent  tongue, 
trenchant  pen,  and  untiring  personal  service  helped  them  to  make 
a  record  that  will  stand  forever  as  a  monument  to  the  practical  value 
and  absolute  dependability  of  Negro  womanhood  in  a  national  crisis. 

Miss  Eva  D.  Bowles,  Executive  Secretary  in  charge  of  the 
Colored  Young  Women's  Christian  Association,  who  did  a  notable 
piece  of  work  in  connection  with  the  War  Work  Council,  not  only  in 
the  matter  of  selecting  well-trained  women  to  take  charge  of  Hostess 
Houses  that  were  provided  at  various  camps  and  cantonments,  but 
in  keeping  alive  the  fires  of  patriotism  among  the  colored  women  of 
the  country  as  she  went  from  place  to  place  lecturing  and  otherwise 
working  for  the  betterment  of  social  conditions  in  Army  camps  and 
especially  in  communities  adjacent  thereto.  A  full  report  of  the 
work  done  by  the  organization,  which  this  consecrated  young  woman 
so  worthily  represents,  is  contained  in  Chapter  XXVII,  entitled: 
** Negro  Women  in  War  Work." 

Lieutenant  T.  T.  Thompson,  Personnel  Officer  and  Historian 
of  the  92nd  Division,  to  whom  I  am  especially  indebted  for  a  large 
amount  of  official  data  concerning  the  various  activities  of  this  im- 


12  AUTHOR 'y  PREFACE 

portant  Divisional  unit  of  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces. 
Lieutenant  Thompson,  by  training  and  experience,  was  well  fitted 
for  the  exacting  post  which  was  held  by  him  as  an  officer  in  the  U.  S. 
Army  and  as  a  chronicler  of  the  activities  and  operations  of  the 
92nd  Division.  The  material  supplied  by  him  and  incorporated  in 
Chapters  XI  and  XII  must,  therefore,  be  regarded  as  official, 
authentic,  and  reliable.  It  is  the  one  clear  record  of  the  activities  of 
the  92nd  Division, — that  justly  fwiywus  military  unit  composed  of 
American  Negro  officers  and  soldiers  ivho  served  their  country  so 
gallantly  during  the  recent  war.  The  data  supplied  by  Lieutenant 
Thompson  has  been  checked  up  by  various  other  officers  of  the  92nd 
Division,  including  Lieutenant  Charles  S.  Parker,  Regimental 
Adjutant,  366th  Infantry,  a  man  of  scholarly  attainments,  judicial 
poise  and  clear  understanding,  and  who,  also,  has  supplied  definite 
and  important  data  with  reference  to  the  operations  of  certain 
Negro  units  that  distinguished  themselves  by  valor  when  the  92nd 
Division  fearlessly  faced  the  formidable  fortress  at  Metz.  It  is  a 
matter  of  great  benefit  to  the  Negro  Race,  and  certainly  most  grati- 
fying to  the  Author  to  have  had  recourse  to  the  official  records  kept 
by  these  colored  officers. 

I  am  also  especially  indebted  to  Captain  John  H.  Patton, 
Regimental  Adjutant  of  the  370th  Infantiy  Regiment,  U.  S.  A.  (bet- 
ter knowTi  as  the  Old  Eighth  Illinois  Regiment)  which  unit  actively 
participated  in  many  a  bloody  conflict  overseas  and  won  imperishable 
fame.  Captain  Patton  placed  at  my  disposal  the  full  and  complete 
official  record  of  the  '* Eighth  Illinois"  (370th)  Regiment  and  it  was 
largely  from  that  record,  of  undeniable  authenticity,  that  Chapter 
XV  was  compiled. 

Grateful  reference  must  also  be  made  to  Dr.  Jesse  E.  Moorland, 
International  Secretary  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 
with  Headquarters  at  Washington,  D.  C.  Dr.  Moorland  was  in 
charge  of  all  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work  conducted  among  colored  soldiers 
in  the  various  camps  and  cantonments  throughout  America  as  well 
as  overseas,  and  with  a  well-selected  cabinet  of  efficient,  consecrated 
young  colored  men,  rendered  service  of  the  utmost  value  in  looking 
after  the  moral  and  social  welfare  of  thousands  of  Negro  soldiers 
who  were  called  to  the  colors.  Each  and  every  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Secretary 
selected  for  service  in  camps  or  cantonments  at  home  or  overseas  was 
designated  by  Dr.  Moorland  and  his  large  corps  of  capable  helpers  co- 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE  13 

operated  most  effectively  with  the  War  ^^'ork  Council.  No  more 
notable  work  was  done  during  the  war  than  that  perfoniied  by  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  among  colored  soldiers  as  it 
received  the  untutored,  untrained  and,  in  many  cases  unlettered  col- 
ored men  who  poured  into  the  various  camps,  and,  largely  through 
the  practical  help  atforded  by  colored  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Secretaries,  were 
transformed  within  a  few  weeks  or  months  into  upstanding,  sturdy, 
forward-looking  men.  The  story  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work  among 
colored  soldiers  is  a  story  most  interesting  and  worthy  of  preser- 
vation. 

Captain  E.  L.  Snyder,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Secretary,  who  served  for  a 
time  at  Camp  Grant  with  the  183rd  Depot  Brigade  and  later  upon 
three  battle  fronts  overseas,  has  placed  the  Author  and  his  Race 
under  many  obligations  for  permitting  me  to  use  and  in  securing  for 
use  in  this  volume  a  large  number  of  very  valuable  pictures  or  illus- 
trations contained  herein;  they  indicate  the  widespread  and  varied 
activities  of  Negro  troops  in  American  camps  and  cantonments  and 
in  service  overseas.  Many  of  these  illustrations  were  photographed 
by  him  at  the  front — some  being  photographed  while  he  was  in 
danger  of  being  wounded  or  killed  by  flying  pieces  of  shrapnel,  while 
others  were  secured  from  the  French  Official  Photographic  Division. 
They  show  both  American  Negro  and  French  Colonial  troops  in 
action. 

Most  or  all  of  the  photographs  of  colored  officers  have  been 
supplied  by  these  officers  themselves  at  my  special  request,  and  I 
wish  in  this  way  to  express  to  them  all  my  grateful  acknowledg-ment, 
with  my  sincere  regret  that  the  space  devoted  to  illustrations  did 
not  permit  the  publication  of  all  of  the  photographs  so  kindly  fur- 
nished. 

Many  of  these  colored  officers  have  furnished  me  with  first-hand 
information  of  interest  and  importance,  duly  verified  by  their  com- 
rades in  arms, — setting  forth  their  individual  exploits  as  well  as 
those  of  the  various  units  with  which  they  were  connected.  To  all 
of  them,  and  to  all  others  who  have  aided  me  in  the  preparation  of 
this  work,  I  am  profoundly  grateful. 

In  calling  attention  to  these  cooperating  agencies,  I  want  espe- 
cially to  pay  tribute  to  my  loyal  and  efficient  secretary,  Mr.  William 
H.  Davis,  without  whose  generous  support  and  valued  services  it 
would  have  been  difficult  for  me  to  have  done  this  work  or  to  have 


14  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

presented  a  record  of  the  activities  of  my  office  during  the  period 
of  nearly  two  years  I  have  been  serving  in  the  War  Department  as 
Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  Since  entering  upon  the 
duties  of  that  ofiQce,  Mr.  Da\ds  has  given  a  great  deal  more  than  time 
in  supporting  my  various  efforts  in  behalf  of  Negro  soldiers  and  in 
the  interest  of  Negro  citizens  generally;  without  regard  to  recom- 
pense and  without  counting  time,  strength  or  anything  else  except  a 
desire  to  serve  to  the  uttermost, — and  I  wish  in  this  way  and  in  this 
place  to  record  my  deep  indebtedness  to  him,  an  indebtedness  whichi 
must  be  shared  by  the  Negro  people  of  this  country  as  well,  in  whose 
interest  and  for  whose  welfare  he  has  served  so  loyally  and  un- 
selfishly. I  wish  also  gratefully  to  acknowledge  the  help  and  encour- 
agement I  have  had  from  my  corps  of  office  assistants,  clerks  and 
stenographers,  viz:  Mr.  R.  W.  Thompson,  Mr.  Charles  Webb,  Mr. 
J.  B.  Smith,  Mrs.  Madeline  P.  Childs,  and  Miss  Ernestine  English. 

In  response  to  the  natural  desire  and  nation-^\dde  demand  for 
an  authentic  and  reliable  record  of  Negro  military  achievements  and 
other  of  their  patriotic  contributions,  this  volume  has  been  pre- 
pared as  a  lasting  tribute  to  the  American  Negro's  participation  in 
the  greatest  war  in  human  history.  Much  of  the  material,  as  the 
reader  will  note,  is  based  upon  first-hand  study,  official  reports  and 
data,  and  the  greatest  possible  care  has  been  taken  in  the  effort  to 
set  forth  definitely  what  has  been  done — not  only  by  black  men  in 
America  but  by  those  other  brave  black  soldiers  of  Africa  (Sene- 
galese, Soudanese,  and  Algerians)  who  served  with  the  Allies  and 
who  rendered  such  timely  and  valuable  service, — in  helping  to  save 
to  the  casket  of  Freedom  the  precious  jewel  of  Human  Liberty! 


Washington,  D.  C, 
June  15,  1919. 


LOYALTY  AND  DEMOCRACY  OF  THE  NEGRO  PRAISED 
BY  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR 

The  following  is  the  testimony  of  the  Honorable  Newton  D. 
Baker,  Secretary  of  War,  to  the  loyal  and  enthusiastic  support 
of  colored  civilians  and  the  part  played  by  colored  soldiers  in  the 
war : 

In  a  most  encouraging  degree,  it  is  being  regarded  by  colored 
civilians  throughout  the  country,  as  a  privilege  and  as  a  duty  to 
give  liberally  of  their  substance,  of  their  time,  of  their  talents,  of 
their  energy,  of  their  influence,  and  in  every  w^ay  possible,  to  con- 
tribute toward  the  comfort  and  success  of  our  fighting  units  and 
those  of  our  allies  across  the  seas. 

The  colored  men,  who  were  subject  to  draft,  are  to  be  com- 
mended upon  their  promptness  and  eagerness  in  registering  their 
names  for  service  in  the  National  Army,  and  hkewise  mention  is 
made  of  the  relatively  low  percentage  of  exemption  claims  filed  by 
them.  Those  in  the  service  of  their  country  proved  faithful  and 
efficient,  and  ^vill  uphold  the  traditions  of  their  race. 

I  want  the  soldier  who  did  not  go  over  seas  to  know  that  he  is 
as  much  a  soldier  as  though  he  had  taken  part  in  the  more  spec- 
tacular side.  I  want  to  insist  that  the  men  who  were  in  training  in 
this  country  are  just  as  much  a  part  of  the  Army  of  the  United 
States  as  if  they  had  gone. 

Now,  I  want  to  impress  this  upon  you  men,  that  if  you  feel 
that  things  have  not  been  as  you  would  like  them — if  there  have 
been  some  things  which  you  think  were  not  as  they  should  have  been, 
you  must  try  to  forget  them  and  go  back  to  civil  life  "s\dth  the  deter- 
mination to  do  your  part  to  make  the  country  what  it  should  be. 

After  all,  what  is  this  thing  we  caU  ''DEMOCRACY"  and  about 
which  we  hear  so  much  nowadays?  Surely  ic  no  catch-phrase  or 
abstraction.  It  is  demonstrating  too  much  vitality  for  that.  It  is 
no  social  distinction  or  privilege  of  the  few,  for  were  it  that,  it  could 
not  win  the  hearts  of  peoples  and  make  them  willing  to  die  for 
its  establishment.  But  it  is,  it  seems  to  me,  a  hope  as  wide  as 
the  human  race,  involving  men  everywhere — a  hope  that  permits 

15 


16  TRIBUTES  TO  THK  NEGRO  IN  WAR 

each  of  us  to  look  forward  to  a  time  when  not  only  we,  but  others, 
will  have  our  respective  rights,  founded  on  the  generosity  of  Nature, 
and  protected  by  a  system  of  justice  which  will  adjust  its  apparent 
conflicts.  Under  such  a  hope  nations  will  do  justice  to  nations,  and 
men  to  men.  Nor  can  I  believe  that  tliis  democracy  mil  be  attained 
as  a  finished  and  complete  thing,  but  rather  with  increased  education 
and  knowledge  its  application  will  enlarge  and  new  meanings  be 
discovered  in  it.  It  is  not  the  philosophy  of  disorder,  but  of  prog- 
ressive order,  not  the  doctrine  of  restraint  by  force,  but  rather  of 
self-restraint  imposed  by  men  who  realize  that  one's  own  freedom 
is  safest  when  that  of  others  is  equally  safe. 

Newton   D.   Baker. 


General  Pershing's  Tribute  to  the  Negro  Soldier 

"The  stories,  probably  invented  by  German  agents,  that  colored 
soldiers  in  France  are  always  placed  in  most  dangerous  positions 
and  sacrificed  to  save  white  soldiers,  that  when  wounded  they  are 
left  on  the  ground  to  die  without  medical  attention,  etc.,  are  abso- 
lutely false. 

"A  tour  of  inspection  among  American  Negro  troops  by  officers 
of  these  headquarters  shows  the  comparatively  high  degree  of  train- 
ing and  efficiency  among  these  troops.  Their  training  is  identical 
with  that  of  other  American  troops  serving  wi^th  the  French  Army, 
the  effort  being  to  lead  all  American  troops  gradually  to  heavy 
combat  duty  by  a  preliminary  service  in  trenches  in  quiet  sectors. 

''Colored  troops  in  trenches  have  been  particularly  fortunate 
as  one  regiment  had  been  there  a  month  before  any  losses  were 
suffered.    This  was  almost  unheard  of  on  the  western  front. 

**The  exploits  of  two  colored  infantrymen  in  repelling  a  much 
larger  German  patrol,  killing  and  wounding  several  Germans  and 
winning  the  Croix  de  Guerre  by  their  gallantry,  has  aroused  a  fine 
spirit  of  emulation  throughout  the  colored  troops,  all  of  whom  are 
looking  forward  to  more  active  service. 

''The  only  regret  expressed  by  colored  troops  is  that  they  are 
not  given  more  dangerous  work  to  do.  I  cannot  commend  too  highly 
the  spirit  shown  among  the  colored  combat  troops,  who  exhibit 
fine  capacity  for  quick  training  and  eagerness  for  the  most  dangerous 
work."  John  J.  Pershing. 


Above — Colonel   Hayward's  "Hell   Fighters"    in   Parade.      The   famous   369th   Infantry   of  colored 
fighters  marching  in   New  York  City  in   honor  of  their  return   to  this  countrj'  after  having 
covered  themselves  with  glory  on  the  blood-stained  fields  of  France. 
Below — The  Buffaloes  (367th)  Marching  up  the  Avenue  in  New  York  on  Their  Return. 


Above — American  Negro  Machine  Gunners  in  the  Marne  Sector  in  France 
^^^TnT'CeHcan^NegVo"  omS  °'^''''  -P'--"^  -P--^-"  of  the  hand  grenades  to  Senegalese 


Above — Lt.   rfutherford's   Minstrels,  recruited  on  board   the   "Saxonia"   on   homeward  trip,   where 
they  amused  and  entertained  over  1700   wounded  boys  on  the  way  back  from  France 
j5e;ot«^Transport  "Ulua,"  with  her  cargo  of  dusky  fighters  who  are  glad  to  be  back  home 
after  doing  their   bit   in   France.      Among  them   are   the    317th   Supply   Train,    317th   Trench 
Mortar    Battery,    325th    Field    Signal    Battery. 


MAJOR-GENERAL,    C.    C.    BALLOU.    COMMANDER    OF    THE    FIGHTING    92nd    DIVISION. 


Above — How  the  boys  enjoyed  themselves  in  France.     A   group  of  Negro  soldiers   off  duty 

around  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  tent  at  Villers  le  Sec   (Meuse). 
Below — A  German  tank  destroyed  by  allied  shell  Are  in  a  sector  occupied  by  American  Neero 

Troops. 


Above — Welcoming  a  Victorious  Hero.  Henry  Johnson,  the  American  Private  who  killed  four 
Germans  and  wounded  twenty-two  with  his  bolo  knife,  and  was  the  First  American  of  any 
race  to  receive  the  Croix  de  Guerre,  being  carried  in  triumph  up  Fifth  Avenue  on  his  retiwn 

Below — Negro  Stevedores  of  the  National  Army  Unloading  a  Transport  in  the  Harbor  of  Brest' 


Above — "The  Band  that  Introduced  Pi'ance  to  Ragtime."  Lieut.  James  Europe's  aggregation  of 
Negro  musicians  accompanied  the  369th  Infantry  overseas.  The  music  of  these  dark  skinned 
players  took  France  by  storm.  Gen.  Pershing  borrowed  the  band  for  a  month  to  play  at 
Headquarters  of  the  A.  E.  F.,  but  sent  it  back  to  the  regiment  when  General  Gouraud, 
the   French  Commander,   begged   for  its   return. 

Below^r-LiXeut.  Maxom  and  the  band  of  the  814th  Infantry  on  the  pier  at  New  York  just  after 
disembarking  from  the  transport  Celtic  from  overseas.  Our  colored  bands  were  the 
wonder  of  France, 


A'bove — -"Returning-  the  Colors."  Major  Davirl  Apploton  commanding  tho  "Buffaloes,"  re- 
turning the  Colors  intrusted  to  this  Negro  regiment,  upon  its  return  t'i'om  its  glorious 
service    in    France. 

Below — Hon.  Charles  Evans  Hughes  Receiving  the  Colors  of  the  367th  Infantry  from  Colonel 
Moss.     Major  Daniel  Appleton  of  the   367th  is   on  Justice   Hughes'    left. 


FORMER  PRESIDENT  ROOSEVELT  ON  "THE  NEGRO'S 
PART  IN  THE  WAR" 

It  is  a  source  of  pride  and  gratification  to  record  the  fact  that 
Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt,  the  great  former  President  of  the 
United  States,  whose  sudden  and  untimely  death  occurred  on  Jan- 
uary 6,  1919,  made  his  last  public  appearance  and  address  at  a 
meeting  held  in  Carnegie  Hall,  New  York,  on  November  2nd,  1918, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Circle  for  Negro  War  Belief.  It  was  on 
this  occasion  that  Colonel  Roosevelt  paid  the  following  high  tribute 
to  the  Negro  Race  in  War: 

* '  The  Negro  has  a  right  to  sit  at  the  council  board  where  ques- 
tions vitally  affecting  him  are  considered,  and  at  the  same  time,  as 
a  matter  of  expediency,  it  is  well  to  have  white  men  at  the  board 
too.  And  I  say  that,  though  I  know  that  there  are  many  men — Dr. 
Scott  is  one — whom  I  would  be  delighted  to  have  sit  at  the  council 
board  where  only  the  affairs  of  w^hite  men  are  concerned.  As  things 
are  now,  the  wisest  course  to  follow  is  that  followed  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  this  circle. 

"Such  an  organization  as  this,  though  started  and  maintained 
with  a  friendly  co-operation  from  w^hite  friends,  is  intended  to  prove 
to  the  world  that  the  colored  people  themselves  can  manage  war 
,relief  in  an  efficient,  honest  and  dignified  way  and  so  bring  honor 
to  their  race.  Every  organization  like  this  Circle  for  Negro  War 
Relief  is  doing  its  part  in  bringing  about  the  right  solution  for  the 
great  problem  which  the  Chairman  has  spoken  of  this  evening. 

"I  do  not  for  one  moment  want  to  be  understood  as  excusing  the 
white  man  from  his  full  responsibility  for  anything  that  he  has  done 
to  keep  the  black  man  down ;  but  I  do  wish  to  say,  with  all  the  empha- 
sis and  all  the  earnestness  at  my  command,  that  the  greatest  work  the 
colored  man  can  do  to  help  his  race  upward  is  by,  in  his  own  person 
and  through  co-operation  with  his  fellows,  showing  the  dignity  of 
service  by  the  colored  man  and  colored  woman  for  all  our  people. 

"Let  me  illustra^-^  *  •  o«  afev  ,.ean  when  I  say  the  advisability 
of  white  co-operatlo-  ^.^^  t.j  f^'^'^^sional  advisability  of  doing  with- 
out white  co-operation.  Had  I  been  permitted  to  raise  troops  to  go 
on  the  other  side,  I  should  have  asked  permission  to  raise  two  colored 

17 


18  ROOSEVELT'S  TRIBUTE  TO  THE  NEGRO 

regiments.  It  is  perfectly  possible,  of  course,  that  there  is  more 
than  one  colored  man  in  the  country  fit  for  the  extraordinarily  diffi- 
cult task  of  commanding  one  such  colored  regiment,  which  would 
contain  nothing  but  colored  officers.  But  it  happens  that  I  only 
knew  of  one  and  that  was  Colonel  Charles  Young.  I  had  intended 
to  offer  him  the  colonelship  of  one  regiment,  telling  him  I  expected 
him  to  choose  only  colored  officers,  and  that  while  I  was  sure  he 
would  understand  the  extreme  difficulty  and  extreme  responsibility 
of  his  task,  I  intended  to  try  to  impress  it  upon  him  still  more; 
to  tell  him  that  under  those  conditions  I  put  a  heavier  responsibility 
upon  him  than  upon  any  other  colored  man  in  the  country,  and  that 
he  was  to  be  given  an  absolutely  free  hand  in  choosing  his  officers, 
and  that  on  the  other  hand  he  would  have  to  treat  them  absolutely 
mercilessly,  if  they  didn't  come  right  up  to  the  highest  level. 

''On  the  other  hand,  with  the  other  colored  regiment,  I  should 
have  had  a  colonel  and  a  Lieutenant-colonel  and  three  majors  who 
would  have  been  white  men.  One  of  them,  Hamilton  Fish,  is  over 
there  now.  One  went  over  and  was  offered  permission  to  form 
another  regiment.  He  said  no,  he  would  stay  with  his  sunburned 
Yankees.    He  stayed  accordingly. 

''Mr.  Cobb  has  spoken  to  you  as  an  eyewitness  of  what  has 
been  done  by  the  colored  troops  across  the  seas.  I  am  well  prepared 
to  believe  it.  In  the  very  small  war  in  which  I  served,  which  was  a 
kind  of  a  pink  tea  affair,  I  had  a  division,  small  dismounted  cavalry 
division,  where  in  addition  to  my  own  regiment  we  had  three  white 
regular  regiments  and  two  colored  regiments;  and  when  we  had 
gotten  through  the  campaign  my  own  men,  who  were  probably  two- 
thirds  Southerners  and  Southwesterners,  used  to  say,  'The  Ninth 
and  Tenth  Cavalry  are  good  enough  to  drink  out  of  our  canteens.' 

"And  terrible  though  this  war  has  been,  I  think  it  has  been  also 
fraught  with  the  greatest  good  for  our  national  soul.  We  went  to 
war,  as  Mr.  Cobb  has  said,  to  maintain  our  own  national  self-respect. 
And,  friends,  it  would  have  been  something  awful  if  we  hadn't  gone 
in.  Materially,  because  the  fight  was  ■»o,jeven  that  I  don't  think  it  is 
boasting,  I  think  it  is  a  plain  statement  of  fact,  Mr.  Cobb,  that  our 
going  in  turned  the  scale.  Isn't  that  so?  I  think  the  Germans  and 
their  vassal  allies  vrould  have  been  victorious  if  we  hadn't  gone  in. 


ROOSEVELT'S  TRIBUTE  TO  THE  NEGRO  19 

And  if  they  had  been  victorious  and  we  had  stayed  out,  soft,  flabby, 
wealthy,  they  would  have  eaten  us  without  saying  grace. 

**  Well,  thank  Heaven !  we  went  in,  and  our  men  on  the  other  side, 
our  sons  and  brothers  on  the  other  side,  white  men  and  black,  white 
soldiers  and  colored  soldiers,  have  been  so  active  that  every  Ameri- 
can now  can  walk  with  his  head  up  and  look  the  citizen  of  any  other 
country  in  the  world  straight  in  the  eyes,  and  we  have  the  satisfac- 
tion of  knowing  that  we  have  played  the  decisive  part.  I  am  not 
saying  this  in  any  spirit  of  self-flattery.  If  any  of  you  have  heard 
me  speak  during  the  preceding  four  years  you  know  that  I  have  not 
addressed  the  American  people  in  a  vein  of  undiluted  eulogy.  But 
without  self-flattery  we  can  say  that  it  was  our  going  in  that  turned 
the  scale  for  freedom  and  against  the  most  dangerous  tyranny  that 
the  w^orld  has  ever  seen.  We  acted  as  genuine  friends  of  liberty  in 
so  doing. 

*'Now  after  the  war,  friends,  I  think  all  of  us  in  this  country, 
white  and  black  alike,  have  also  got  to  set  an  example  to  the  rest  of 
the  world  in  steering  a  straight  course  equally  distant  from  Kaiser- 
ism  and  Bolshevism. 

''And  now,  friends,  I  want  as  an  American  to  thank  you,  and  as 
your  fellow  American  to  congratulate  you,  upon  the  honor  won  and 
the  service  rendered  by  the  colored  troops  on  the  other  side ;  by  the 
men  such  as  the  soldier  Needham  Roberts  we  have  mth  us  tonight 
who  won  the  Cross  of  War,  the  greatest  War  Cross  for  gallantry  in 
action;  for  the  many  others  like  him. who  acted  with  equal  gallantry 
and  who  for  one  reason  or  another  never  attracted  the  attention  of 
their  superiors  and,  well  tLough  they  did,  did  not  receive  the  out- 
ward and  visible  token  to  prove  what  they  had  done.  I  want  to  con- 
gratulate you  on  what  all  those  men  have  done.  I  want  to  congrat- 
ulate you  on  what  the  colored  nurses  at  home  have  done  and  have 
been  ready  to  do,  and  to  express  my  very  sincere  regret  that  some  way 
was  not  found  to  put  them  on  the  other  side  at  the  front.  I  con- 
gratulate you  upon  it  in  the  name  of  our  country  and  above  all 
in  the  name  of  the  colored  people  of  our  coimtry.  For  in  the  end 
services  of  this  kind  have  a  cumulative  effect  in  winning  the  confi- 
dence of  your  fellows  of  another  color. 

"And  I  hope — and  I  wish  to  use  a  stronger  expression  than 
'hope';  I  expect — and  I  am  going  to  do  whatever  small  amount  I 


20  ROOSEVELT'S  TRIBUTE  TO  THE  NEGRO 

can  do,  to  bring  about  the  realization  of  tlie  expectation,  I  expect 
that  as  a  result  of  this  great  war,  intended  to  secure  a  greater  jus- 
tice internationally  among  the  people  of  mankind,  we  shall  apply  at 
home  the  lessons  that  we  have  been  learning  and  helping  teach 
abroad;  that  we  shall  work  sanely,  not  foolishly,  but  resolutely, 
toward  securing  a  juster  and  fairer  treatment  in  this  country  of 
colored  people,  basing  that  treatment  upon  the  only  safe  rule  to  be 
followed  in  American  life,  of  treating  each  individual  accordingly 
as  his  conduct  or  her  conduct  requires  you  to  treat  them. 

**I  don't  ask  for  any  man  that  he  shall  because  of  his  race  be 
given  any  privilege.  All  I  ask  is  that  in  his  ordinary  civil  rights,  in 
his  right  to  work,  to  enjoy  life  and  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happi- 
ness, that  as  regards  those  rights  he  be  given  the  same  treatment 
that  we  would  give  him  if  he  was  of  another  color. 

**Now,  friends,  both  the  white  man  and  the  black  man  in  moments 
of  exultation  are  apt  to  think  that  the  millennium  is  pretty  near ;  that 
the  sweet  chariot  has  swung  so  low  that  everybody  can  get  upon  it. 
I  don't  think  that  my  colored  fellow-citizens  are  a  bit  worse  than 
my  white  fellow-citizens  as  regards  that  particular  aspiration.  And 
I  am  sure  you  do  not  envy  me  the  ungrateful  task  of  warning  both 
that  they  must  not  expect  too  much.  They  must  have  their  eyes  on 
the  stars  but  their  feet  on  the  ground.  I  have  to  warn  my  white 
fellow-citizens  about  that  when  they  say;  'Well,  now,  at  the  end 
of  this  war,  we  are  going  to  have  universal  peace.  Everybody  loves 
everybody  else.'  I  want  you  to  remember  that  the  strongest  expo- 
nents of  international  love  in  public  life  today  are  Lenine  and 
Trotsky. 

"I  will  do  everything  I  can  to  aid,  to  help  to  bring  about,  to  bring 
nearer  the  day  when  justice  and  what  in  a  humble  way  may  be  called 
the  square  deal  vdW  be  given.  And  yet  I  want  to  warn  you  tliat  that 
is  only  going  to  come  gradually ;  that  there  will  be  very  much  injus- 
tice, injustice  that  must  not  over-much  disappoint  you  and  it  must 
not  cow  you  and  above  all  it  must  not  make  you  feel  sullen  and 
hopeless. 

*  'And  one  thing  I  want  to  say,  not  to  you  here  but  the  the  colored 
men  who  live  where  the  bulk  of  the  colored  men  do,  in  the  South, 
and  that  is  always  to  remember  the  lesson  which  I  learned  from 
Booker  Washington :  that  in  the  long  run,  in  the  long  run,  the  white 


ROOSEVELT'S  TRIBUTE  TO  THE  NEGRO  21 

man  who  can  give  most  help  to  the  colored  man  is  the  white  man  who 
lives  next  to  him.  And  in  consequence  I  always  felt  it  my  official 
duty  to  work  so  that  I  could  command  the  assistance  and  respect  of 
the  bulk  of  the  white  men  who  are  decent  and  square,  in  what  I  tried 
to  do  for  the  colored  man  who  is  decent  and  square. 

"To  each  side  I  preach  the  doctrine  of  thinking  more  of  his  duties 
than  of  his  rights.  I  don't  mean  that  you  shan't  think  of  your 
rights.  I  want  you  to  do  it.  But  it  is  awfully  easy,  if  you  begin  to 
dwell  all  the  time  on  your  rights,  to  find  that  you  suffer  from  an 
ingrowing  sense  of  your  own  perfections  and  wrongs  and  that  you 
forget  what  you  owe  to  anyone  else. 

*'I  congratulate  all  colored  men  and  women  and  all  their  white 
fellow-Americans  upon  the  gallanty  and  efficiency  with  which  the 
colored  men  have  behaved  at  the  front,  and  the  efficiency  and  wish  to 
render  service  which  have  been  shown  by  both  the  colored  men 
and  the  colored  women  behind  them  in  this  country. ' ' 

Theodore  Roosevelt. 


TWO  FIRST  CLASS  AMERICANS! 


This  cartoon,  with  the  above  title,  was  drawn  by  Mr.  W.  A. 
Rog-ers,  the  famous  cartoonist  of  the  Now  York  Herald,  in  cele- 
bration of  the  exploit  of  Henry  Johnson  and  Needham  Roberts, 
the  first  two  American  soldiers  to  win  the  Croix  de  Guerre. — 
Copyrifi^ht,  1918,  by  New  York  Herald  Co. 


CHAPTER  I 

HOW  THE  GREAT  WAR  CAME  TO  AMERICA 

The  Underlying  Causes  of  the  War — Racial  Hatreds  and  National 
Enmities— Germany's  Ambition  to  Rule  the  World — The  Gather- 
ing of  the  War  Clouds — Germany's  Attempt  to  Stir  Up  Trouble 
Between  the  United  States  and  Mexico — Events  that  Led  to 
America's  Participation  in  the  War. 

As  all  the  world  now  realizes,  the  Great  War  which  came  to  an 
end  by  the  surrender  of  Germany  and  the  signing  of  an  Armistice 
on  November  11,  1918,  had  its  roots  in  racial  hatred  and  inter- 
national jealousy  between  the  peoples  and  rulers  of  different 
European  countries.  What  directly  brought  on  the  war  was  the 
resentment  of  the  Serbians  of  the  effort  of  the  Germanic  Austrians 
to  rule  them.  For  centuries  the  oppression  of  one  race  by  another 
had  been  going  on  in  Europe.  All  over  Europe  there  were  races 
ruled  and  exploited  by  people  of  another  race.  The  Poles  had  no 
government  of  their  own,  but  were  divided  among  Germany,  Russia 
and  Austria.  Italians  bitterly  resented  the  rule  of  Austria  over  large 
territories,  including  some  great  cities,  whose  population  was  almost 
wholly  Italian.  On  the  west,  the  French  people  of  Alsace-Lorraine 
were  held  in  subjection  by  Germany.  The  Czecho-Slovaks  of  Bohemia 
were  under  the  control  of  Austrians;  Turkish  authority  tyrannized 
over  the  Armenians,  and  the  Lithuanians  were  the  subjects  of  Rus- 
sian masters. 

Confident  of  her  ability  to  overcome  all  resistance,  determined 
to  reduce  still  more  nations  and  races  to  subjection  and  to  extend 
her  dominion  from  the  North  Sea  to  the  Indian  Ocean,  Germany 
entered  upon  this  war  to  crush  friend  and  foe.  The  whole  civilized 
world  revolted  when  the  German  Government  declared  that  its 
solemn  treaty  in  which  it  had  agreed  to  the  permanent  independence 
of  Belgium  was  only  * '  a  scrap  of  paper, ' '  and  sent  its  army  into  that 
neutral  country.    The  invasion  of  Belgium  was  the  act  that  brought 

23 


24  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

England  into  the  war  against  Germany;  the  atrocious  treatment  of 
the  Belgians  and  the  French  by  the  Germans  was  the  moving  force 
that  stirred  the  American  people  and  prepared  them  for  this  conn- 
try's  own  entrance  into  the  war  even  before  atrocities  committed 
upon  our  own  citizens  forced  the  issue. 

So,  in  a  very  literal  sense,  it  may  be  said  that  our  American 
soldiers  of  the  Negro  Race  went  over  to  France  to  fight  for  the 
liberation  of  the  oppressed  peoples  of  Europe.  It  was  a  marvelous 
thing  to  have  occurred,  that  a  race  itself  so  long  oppressed  should 
have  had  the  opportunity  to  help  save  others  from  oppression !  It  is 
something  for  every  man  and  woman  of  the  Negro  race  to  be  proud 
of,  that  our  people  did  eagerly  Avelcome  this  opportunity  and  play 
so  glorious  a  part.  The  pistol  shot  which  put  an  end  to  the  life  of 
Archduke  Francis  Ferdinand,  heir  presumptive  to  the  Austro- 
Hungarian  throne,  at  Serajevo,  June  28,  1914,  turned  Europe  into  a 
battlefield  six  weeks  later.  The  Serbians  were  blamed  for  the  assassi- 
nation, and  on  July  23  Vienna  sent  an  ultimatum  to  Belgrade 
demanding  the  punishment  of  the  offenders  and  Austria 's  participa- 
tion in  their  trial  in  Serbia.  Russia  supported  Serbia  in  rejecting 
the  last  demand;  Germany  supported  Austria.  England,  France, 
and  even  Italy,  then  the  ally  of  Austria  and  Germany,  suggested 
arbitration  by  the  Great  Powers.  By  treaty  Germany  was  obliged 
to  support  Austria  if  attacked  by  two  or  more  powers,  France  to 
support  Russia  for  a  similar  reason,  and  Italy  to  support  her  allies 
in  case  of  a  defensive  war. 

Germany  deemed  Russia's  mobilization  tantamount  to  a  declara- 
tion of  war  against  her  and  declared  war  on  August  1, 1914.  Alleging 
that  France  had  already  begun  hostile  action  against  her,  Germany 
declared  war  on  France  on  the  third  of  August  and  invaded  Belgium 
in  order  to  attack  France.  Great  Britain  declared  war  on  Germany 
the  fourth  of  August.  Italy,  deeming  Austria  the  aggressor,  pro- 
claimed her  neutrality. 

But  these  were  merely  the  culmination  of  a  long-standing  con- 
spiracy on  the  part  of  Germany  and  Austria-Hungary  soon  to  be 
revealed  by  German  propaganda.  Germany  wished  to  render  France 
impotent  and  absorb  the  Germanic  provinces  of  Russia;  she  would 
then  be  in  a  position  to  coerce  Great  Britain.  Austria-Hungary  wished 
to  absorb  the  Balkan  Slavs  and  make  her  way  to  the  yEgean.    For 


now  THE  WAR  CAME  TO  AMERICA  25 

Germany  there  was  a  corollary  to  the  success  of  the  Austro-Hun- 
garian  scheme,  which,  by  the  bribery  of  Turkey,  would  establish 
German  dominion  from  the  North  Sea  to  the  Persian  Gulf.  In 
November  Turkey  entered  the  war  on  the  side  of  the  Central  Empires. 
All  this  was  arranged,  even  to  the  minutest  detail,  at  the  German 
Kaiser's  Potsdam  conference  on  July  5,  1914.  There  it  was  believed 
that  if  the  corollary  did  not  come  into  evidence  too  soon,  both  Great 
Britain  and  Italy  would  remain  neutral.  That  Japan  would  enter 
the  war  on  account  of  her  treaty  with  Great  Britain  was  thus  dis- 
counted. Germany  attempted  to  defend  her  position  morally  on  the 
ground  that  she  had  been  attacked  by  Eussia  on  account  of  the  Pan- 
Slavonic  ambitions  of  that  empire,  and  by  Great  Britain  on  account 
of  the  latter 's  jealousy  of  her  world  trade  and  industry.  She  was, 
therefore,  ''fighting  for  her  existence." 

Her  enemies  in  defending  themselves  entered  into  treaties  for 
mutual  advantages  after  the  war,  in  case  of  the  defeat  of  the  Central 
Empires.  There  was  cooperation,  but  no  great  unity  of  action  or 
purpose  among  them.  This  gave  Geraiany  a  great  advantage  until 
the  spring  of  1917,  when  the  United  States  entered  the  war.  That 
event,  besides  bringing  the  material  deciding  factor  to  the  Allies' 
cause,  established  their  war  aims  upon  a  world  basis  of  a  fight  for 
humanity — of  republicanism  against  absolutism,  for  the  rights  of 
small  nations,  and  "to  make  the  world  safe  for  democracy."  All 
this  was  to  be  done  by  annihilating  Prussian  militarism  and  Hohen- 
zollern  absolutism.  On  these  humane  principles  twenty-nine  nations 
arrayed  themselves  against  Germany,  of  which  twenty-four  declared 
war. 

The  w^ar,  which  brought  to  the  state  of  practical  application  the 
principles  for  which  the  enemies  of  Geraiany  have  been  fighting, 
has  been  prodigious  in  geographic  and  social  extent  and  unprece- 
dented in  expenditures  of  lives  and  treasure.  Through  battle, 
atrocities,  and  massacres  it  is  estimated  that  10,000,000  lives  have 
been  sacrificed;  that  $50,000,000,000  of  property,  not  including  the 
waste  of  war  material,  has  beeji  destroyed  in  various  ways;  that 
the  productive  wealth  of  the  belligerents,  which  in  1914  was  esti- 
mated at  $600,000,000,000,  has  now  been  mortgaged  for  over  $200,- 
000,000,000,  much  of  which  now  seems  unrecoverable. 

Germany's  initial  plan  was  to  place  France   hors  de  combat 


26  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

and  then  obtain  a  victorious  peace  over  Russia.  Austria-Hungary, 
meanwhile,  would  attend  to  the  Balkans.  The  intervention  of  Great 
Britain  brought  this  to  nought.  Germany  then  directed  Turkey  to 
attack  Egj^pt  and  the  Suez  Canal,  and  so  strangle  Great  Britain  in 
the  East.  The  tirst  act  of  Great  Britain  was  to  isolate  the  German 
fleet ;  her  second  to  send  an  expeditionary  force  under  the  conmiand  of 
Sir  John  French  to  Belgium  and  France.  The  Germans  advanced 
into  France  to  within  fifteen  miles  of  Paris,  and  were  then  driven 
back  to  the  Aisne  at  the  battle  of  the  Marne,  September  5-12,  1914. 
Russian  armies  advanced  into  East  Prussia,  w^ere  held  in  the  center 
east  of  Posen,  and  overran  Austrian  Galicia.  The  Turks  were  de- 
feated at  the  Suez  Canal  on  February  2-4,  1915.  In  the  following 
April  the  Austro-Germans  began  a  drive  in  Galicia,  wdiich  by  the 
following  November  had  carried  them  eastward  to  a  450-mile  per- 
pendicular extending  from  near  Riga  to  the  Russian  frontier. 

Bulgaria  and  Italy  in  the  War 

From  March  until  October  the  Allies  attempted  to  gain  Con- 
stantinople from  the  Peninsula  of  Gallipoli,  and  then  withdrew  to 
Saloniki  in  an  attempt  to  defend  Serbia,  Bulgaria  having  joined  the 
Central  Empires  on  September  22.  Bulgaria  overran  Serbia  and 
established  communication  between  Berlin  and  Constantinople  via 
the  Orient  Railway.  Meanwhile  Italy  had  declared  war  on  Austria 
on  May  23,  and  had  invaded  Austrian  territory,  isolating  the  Tren- 
tino  and  advancing  to  the  River  Isonzo.  The  Russians,  advancing 
through  the  Caucasus,  were  defeating  the  Turks  in  Armenia. 

The  sinking  of  the  Lusitania  on  May  7,  1915,  and  the  atrocities 
of  the  Germans  in  Belgium,  the  Austrians  and  Bulgars  in  Serbia, 
the  Turks  in  Armenia,  and  the  criminal  propaganda  in  the  United 
States  to  prevent  supplies  from  going  to  the  Allies,  all  tended  to 
lower  Germany's  moral  standard  in  the  war.  By  the  naval  battle 
off  the  Falkland  Islands  on  December  8,  1914,  Germany's  only  fleet 
on  the  high  seas  had  been  put  out  of  existence;  a  similar  fate  soon 
followed  her  commerce  destroyers.  Japan  had  taken  the  German- 
leased  territory  of  Kiao-Chau  in  China,  and  soon,  out  of  Germany's 
oversea  possessions  of  1,027,820  square  miles,  none  remained.  Japan 
has  been  fighting  down  to  the  end  of  the  war. 


HOW  THE  WAR  CAME  TO  AMERICA  27 

Tlie  second  year  of  the  war,  1915-1916,  saw  the  Germans  com- 
pleting tl^eir  occupation  of  the  Balkans  down  to  the  Saloniki  line 
held  by  the  Allies ;  there  w^as  a  British  defeat  on  the  Tigris,  with  the 
surrender  of  Kut-el-Amara,  on  April  28.  There  were  also  the  battle 
of  Verdun,  which  began  on  February  21  and  cost  the  Germans  half 
a  million  casualties ;  the  sea  fight  off  Jutland  on  May  31,  which  left 
the  British  Navy  in  control  of  the  sea;  the  battle  of  the  Somme  in 
Prance,  July  1-November  13,  which  regained  170  square  miles  of 
territory  and  secured  several  strategic  positions  which  five  months 
later  forced  the  great  German  retreat;  General  Brusiloff's  cam- 
paign on  the  eastern  front,  which  regained  7,300  square  miles  of 
territory  and  captured  358,000  prisoners  from  June  4  till  December, 
1916. 

On  August  27,  1916,  Rumania  entered  the  vv^ar  on  the  side  of 
Germany's  enemies  and  by  the  dawn  of  1917  had  been  crushed. 
In  March  and  April,  1917,  took  place  the  German  retreat  to  the 
Plindenburg  line,  which  surrendered  to  France  nearly  1,500  square 
miles  of  territory.  There  were  British  victories  at  the  ridges  of 
Vimy  and  Messines,  respectively  April  19  and  June  7,  and  the 
great  attack  of  the  French  from  Soissons  to  Eheims,  which  secured 
100,000  prisoners.  In  Mesopotamia  the  British  recovered  Kut-el- 
Amara  and  on  March  11  occupied  Bagdad;  the  Arab  kingdom  of 
Hedjaz  joined  the  Allies. 

Political  Events  of  the  Third  Year 

But  the  most  important  events  of  the  third  year  of  the  war 
were  political,  however — the  Russian  revolution,  March  15,  and 
the  entrance  of  the  United  States  into  the  war,  April  6.  The  former 
was  brought  about  without  any  premeditation  by  the  Cossacks 
refusing  to  fire  on  the  Petrograd  mob  and  the  Duma  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  situation  and  establishing  a  mild  Provisional  Govern- 
ment, w^hich  opened  the  country  to  destructive  German  propaganda 
and  the  rise  of  the  anarchy  known  as  Bolshevism.  The  moral 
and  material  grievances  of  the  United  States  against  Germany 
culminated  in  a  series  of  revelations  showing  the  latter 's  crimin- 
ality. On  January  31  she  proclaimed  her  intensified  U-boat  cam- 
paign, repudiating  the  promise  of  May  4,  1916,  and  on  February 
28th  came  the  revelation  of  the  Zimmerman  note  to  Mexico   and 


28  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Japan.  Up  to  the  time  the  United  States  declared  war  this  country 
had  lost  by  the  illegal  operation  of  U-boats  twenty-two  ships, 
amounting  to  more  than  70,000  tons,  together  with  hundreds  of 
lives,  most  of  which,  however,  had  been  lost  on  other  neutral  ships 
or  on  the  passenger  ships  of  Germ-any 's  enemies. 

Early  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  war,  November  7,  1917,  saw  the 
collapse  of  the  Eussian  Provisional  Government  and  the  dominance 
of  the  Bolsheviki.  They  finally  drove  Russia  from  the  war  by  the 
betrayal  at  Brest-Litovsk,  which  culminated  in  the  treaty  of  peace 
of  March  3,  1918.  Rumania  was  forced  to  make  peace  on  May  6, 
at  Bucharest. 

Other  events  which  occupied  the  closing  months  of  1917  were 
equally  discouraging  for  the  Allies,  whose  morale,  however,  was 
kept  firm  through  the  rapidly  augmenting  evidences  of  American 
aid,  which  would  be  decisive.  Even  here  there  was  fear  that  this 
aid  could  not  be  brought  overseas,  due  to  the  intensified  action  of 
the  U-boats,  whose  toll  of  merchant  shipping  for  1917  had  been  in 
the  first  quarter  1,619,373  tons ;  in  the  second,  236,934 ;  in  the  third, 
], 494,473;  and  in  the  fourth,  1,272,843.  And  as  yet  there  were  no 
sure  grounds  to  believe  in  the  great  victories  which  were  to  come 
to  the  Allies  a  year  afterward. 

On  the  western  front  the  battle  of  Flanders,  which  had  been 
begun  by  the  British  on  July  31,  ended  with  the  capture  of  Paschen- 
daele  Ridge  on  the  6tli  of  the  following  November.  There  was  the 
abortive  battle  of  Cambrai,  November  20-December  5.  In  October 
Petain  secured  the  Chemin  des  Dames  on  the  Aisne  front.  Italy 
advanced  over  the  Bainsizza  to  within  35  miles  of  Laibaeh,  between 
August  20  and  October  1,  only  to  be  defeated  at  Caporetto  and 
driven  back  to  the  Piave,  losing  a  large  part  of  the  Regione  of 
Veneto. 

The  allied  front  in  Macedonia  continued  to  remain  inactive 
save  for  the  excursions  of  Greek  troops,  whose  new  Government 
had  entered  the  war  on  the  side  of  the  Allies  on  the  second  of  July. 
The  war  against  the  Turk,  however,  showed  encouraging  signs; 
in  Palestine  General  Allenby  captured  Jerusalem  on  the  22nd  of 
December;  in  Mesopotamia  General  Marshall,  who  had  succeeded 
to  the  command  on  the  death  of  Maude  on  the  18th  of  November, 


HOW  THE  WAR  CAME  TO  AMERICA  29 

extended  his  advance  to  the  Euphrates,  and  was  still  ascending  the 
Tigris  toward  Mosul. 

It  was  known  before  1917  closed  that  Germany,  released  from 
war  with  Russia,  was  preparing  a  great  offensive.  The  Austro- 
German  reply  to  the  Pope's  peace  note  of  August  1  revealed 
merely  a  readiness  to  talk  peace  on  the  basis  of  the  military  status 
quo.  President  Wilson,  in  his  reply  to  the  Pope  on  the  27th  of 
Sei^tember,  reaffirmed  the  great  moral  issues  at  stake,  but  in  the 
chancelleries  of  the  Allies  in  Europe  men  like  the  Marquis  of 
Lansdowne  lowered  the  morale  by  constantly  asking  for  the  war 
aims  of  the  belligerents,  and  there  was  anti-war  propaganda  abroad. 
France  had  her  Caillaux  and  Bolo  Pacha,  Italy  her  Giolitti,  and 
England  her  Irish  Sinn  Fein. 

With  these  distracting  and  discouraging  influences  lightened 
only  by  the  hope  placed  in  the  United  States  and  the  faith  that  the 
U-boat  campaign  was  being  neutralized,  the  combat  was  carried  for 
three  months  into  1918  with  forebodings  for  a  long  war. 

Germany's  Last  Great  Struggle 

Then  Germany  on  March  21,  1918,  began  her  great  offensive 
on  the  western  front  with  the  object  of  separating  the  British  and 
French  armies  by  reaching  the  Channel  ports  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Somme  and  then  defeating  each  army  in  turn  and  occupying  Paris. 
Between  March  21  and  July  15  her  offensive  had  passed  through 
four  phases,  giving  her  Lys,  the  Picardy  and  the  Marne  salients. 
She  had  stretched  a  195-mile  front  to  one  of  250.  However,  the 
Allies  held  the  sectors  which  bound  the  salients  and  also  strategic 
positions  on  their  perimeters.  Germany's  huge  losses  prevented 
her  from  proceeding  further  unless  at  a  given  point  she  could 
break  the  Allies'  line.  This  in  a  desperate  effort  she  attempted  to 
do  on  July  15  by  driving  across  the  Marne.  She  failed  and  began  a 
highly  organized  strategic  retreat  to  save  her  armies. 

Meanwhile,  the  Allies  had  decided,  in  April,  on  unity  of  com- 
mand and  had  placed  the  conduct  of  the  war  in  the  hands  of  Gen- 
eral Foch.  The  arrival  of  nearly  1,000,000  American  bayonets  in 
France  gave  him  the  opportunity  to  organize  an  army  of  manoeuvre. 


30  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

His  attacks  begun  between  Soissons  and  Chateau-Thierry  against 
the  Marne  salient  on  July  18  were  unceasing  down  to  the  time  of  the 
armistice,  steadily  pushing  the  German  armies  east  through  Bel- 
gium and  north  to  the  French  frontier,  a  series  of  battles  in  which 
the  First  American  Army  played  its  full  part  vv^est  of  the  Meuse. 

The  series  of  sledge-hammer  blows  administered  by  Foch's 
army  began  to  have  their  effect  not  only  on  the  battlefront,  but  in 
Berlin  and  Vienna,  in  Sofia  and  Constantinople.  The  enemy  was 
not  reaping  the  material  benefits  he  had  expected  to  derive  from  a 
Bolshevist  Eussia.  There  the  Czecho-Slovak  armies — former 
prisoners  of  war  released  by  the  Provisional  Government — were 
fighting  against  the  Germans  and  Bolsheviki  and  were  soon  joined 
by  contingents  of  the  Allies  and  Russians  of  the  educated  class. 
The  Allies  recognized  the  belligerency  of  the  Czecho-Slovaks '  coun- 
try— Bohemia — and  the  national  aspirations  of  the  Slavonic  sub- 
jects of  Austria-Hungaiy. 

On  the  14th  of  September  the  allied  armies  in  Macedonia 
under  General  Franchet  d'Esperey  made  an  attack  which,  on  the 
last  day  of  the  month,  drove  Bulgaria  to  seek  unconditional  sur- 
render. 

On  the  15th  of  September  the  forces  under  General  Allenby 
in  Palestine  annihilated  three  Turkish  armies,  which  forced  the 
Turks  out  of  the  war,  on  the  same  terms,  October  31. 

Austria  Sues  for  Peace 

On  the  4th  of  November,  Austria-Hungary,  whose  note  to 
President  Wilson  on  the  5th  of  October,  asking  for  a  peace  parley, 
had  been  rejected  on  the  15th  of  October,  and  which  was  being 
severely  punished  by  an  Italian  offensive  begun  on  the  27th  of 
October,  accepted  an  armistice  which  left  her  helpless,  with  revolu- 
tionary movements  in  Vienna,  Prague,  and  elsewhere  tending  to- 
ward the  complete  dissolution  of  the  dual  monarchy  of  the  Haps- 
burgs.  As  far  back  as  the  14th  of  September  Austria-Hungary  had 
attempted  to  have  all  the  belligerents  meet  in  conference,  and  Presi- 
dent Wilson  had  rejected  the  proposal  on  the  17th  of  September. 

On  the  6th  of  October  the  new  German  Chancellor,  Prince  Max 
of  Baden,  prepared  a  peace  parley  on  the  basis  of  the  President's 


HOW  THE  WAR  CAME  TO  AMERICA  31 

14  Articles  of  January  8  and  subsequent  utterances  of  formulaB  for 
permanent  peace.  On  the  8th  of  October  President  Wilson  asked 
for  the  Chancellor's  mandate — did  it  come  from  the  authorities 
who  had  begun  and  carried  on  the  war  or  from  the  people?  Ger- 
many on  the  12th  of  October  pointed  out  the  reforms  that  were 
going  on  in  the  empire  and  asked  for  a  mixed  commission  on  the 
evacuation  of  the  occupied  territory  in  Belgium  and  France. 

To  this  note  President  Wilson  replied  the  next  day,  defining  the 
process  by  which  Germany  might  receive  terms  for  an  armistice,  but 
insisting  that  the  mandate  must  come  from  the  German  people  and 
be  preceded  by  an  evacuation  of  the  occupied  territories. 

Other  notes  were  exchanged,  Germany  answering  on  the  21st 
of  October  and  the  President  on  the  23rd  of  October;  and,  respect- 
ively, on  the  27th  and  the  5th  of  November,  when  the  President 
sent  to  Germany  a  memorandum  saying  that  the  military  advisers 
of  the  associated  governments  were  prepared  to  submit  to  Germany 
the  terms  on  which  an  armistice  might  be  secured. 

On  the  8th  of  November  the  German  commissioners  received 
the  terms  of  the  armistice  at  General  Foch's  headquarters  and 
seventy-two  hours  were  allowed  them  in  which  to  make  answer. 
The  armistice  was  signed  on  November  11,  1918. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  CALL  TO  THE  COLORS 

Negro  Troops  That  Were  Ready  When  War  Was  Declared — The 
Famous  9th  and  10th  Cavalry,  U.  S.  Army — The  24th  and  25th 
Infantry — National  Guard  Units  of  Colored  Troops — The  8th 
Illinois — The  15th  Neiv  York — National  Guard  Units  of  Ohio, 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Maryland  and  Tennessee — First 
Separate  Battalion  of  the  District  of  Columbia — How  All  of 
These  Responded  to  the  Call. 

Nearly  400,000  Negro  Soldiers  served  in  the  United  States 
Army  in  the  Great  World  War.  About  367,710  of  these  came  into 
the  servdce  through  the  operation  of  the  Selective  Draft  Law.  How 
this  selective  draft  operated  and  how  the  Negro  responded  to  the 
call  to  the  colors,  will  be  discussed  in  another  chaj^ter.  It  is  a  matter 
of  pride,  however,  to  realize  that  at  the  instant  of  the  declaration 
of  war,  there  were  nearly  20,000  soldiers  of  the  Negro  race  in  the 
United  States,  uniformed,  armed,  equipped,  drilled,  trained  and 
ready  to  take  the  field  against  the  foe.  Proportionately  to  the  total 
Negro  population  of  America,  this  was  a  splendid  sho^^'ing. 

Many  of  these  Negro  soldiers  of  the  Regular  Army  and  the 
National  Guard  had  already  seen  as  long  and  as  active  service  in 
the  field  as  any  of  the  Regular  Army  or  National  Guard  regiments 
of  white  soldiers.  About  10,000  of  these  Negro  troops  that  were  ready 
when  war  was  declared  were  in  the  original  four  colored  regiments 
of  the  Regular  Army.  Of  these,  the  most  famous  are  the  9th  and 
10th  Cavalry.  It  was  the  9th  and  10th  Cavalry,  the  Negro  troops 
of  the  U.  S.  Regular  Army,  that  saved  the  day  at  San  Juan  Hill 
for  Colonel  Roosevelt's  Rough  Riders,  and  helped  to  give  him 
much  of  his  military  prestige  and  fame.  The  story  of  the  famous 
charge  of  these  black  troops  who  rushed  the  Spanish  stronghold, 
singing  *' There '11  Be  a  Hot  Time  in  the  Old  Town  Tonight,"  is 
a  familiar  story  to  everyone. 

32 


THE  CALL  TO  THE  COLORS  33 

In  the  war  with  Spain,  in  the  Philippines,  on  the  Mexican  Bor- 
der, these  Negro  troops  and  the  two  colored  infantry  regiments  of 
the  Regular  Army,  the  24th  and  the  25th,  won  high  distinction  and 
merited  praise. 

Besides  these  10,000  Negro  soldiers  already  in  the  Regular 
Army,  there  were  nearly  10,000  more  in  the  National  Guards  of 
several  States,  such  organizations  as  the  8th  Illinois,  the  15th  New 
York,  tlie  First  Separate  Battalion  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
the  First  Separate  Company  of  Maryland,  the  9th  Battalion  of 
Ohio,  the  First  Separate  Company  of  Connecticut,  Co.  L  of  Massa- 
chusetts National  Guard  and  Co.  G  of  the  Tennessee  National  Guard. 
Some  of  these,  when  the  United  States  became  a  belligerent  in  the 
World  War,  had  only  recently  seen  service  on  the  Mexican  border. 

In  the  regular  army  one  colored  man,  Charles  Young,  of  Wil- 
berforce,  Ohio,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  rose  to  the  rank  of 
Colonel,  prior  to  his  recent  retirement  the  highest  rank  attained  by 
any  colored  man.  Benjamin  Oliver  Davis,  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
rose  from  the  ranks,  entering  during  the  Spanish- American  War, 
to  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  is  now  stationed  with  the  9th  U.  S. 
Cavalry  in  the  Philippines.  Walter  H.  Loring,  retired,  another 
Washingtonian,  served  with  distinction  as  bandmaster  of  the  Philip- 
pines Constabulary  Band,  and  is  now  a  Major.  Several  colored 
chaplains  of  the  Regular  Army  retired  with  rank  of  Major,  as  did 
one  paymaster.  Major  John  R.  Lynch,  of  Chicago.  Col.  Young  was 
U.  S.  Military  Attache  in  the  Republic  of  Haiti,  and  Lieut.-Col. 
Davis  served  in  a  similar  capacity  in  the  Republic  of  Liberia. 
Quite  a  number  of  colored  men  were  Colonels  and  Majors  in  the 
various  National  Guard  organizations. 

Colored  Guard  Units  Called 

The  Negro  people  have  always  taken  particular  pride  in  the 
records  of  the  four  Regular  Army  units,  and  they  were  gratified 
beyond  measure  that  when  war  was  declared  April  6,  1917,  thei-e 
became  immediately  available  not  only  the  Regular  Army  military 
units  but  also  the  National  Guard  units,  to  which  reference  has 
been  made. 

According  to  the  records  of  the  War  Department,  the  Colored 
National  Guard  units  were  called  into  Federal  sei'vice  as  follows: 


34  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

1st  Separate  Battalion,  District  of  Columbia  National  Guard, 
March  25,  1917;  50  officers,  929  men;  Medical  Corps  attached  with 
5  officers,  21  men. 

1st  Separate  Company,  Maryland,  July  25,  1917,  3  officers,  154 
men. 

1st  Separate  Company,  Connecticut,  July  31,  1917,  1  officer, 
136  men;  1  officer,  4  men  attached. 

1st  Separate  Company,  Massachusetts  (Co.  L),  August  5,  1917, 
3  officers,  150  men. 

9th  Separate  Battalion,  Ohio,  August  5,  1917,  14  officers,  600 
men;  1  officer,  7  men  attached. 

8th  Illinois  Regiment,  July  25,  1917,  42  officers,  1,405  men. 

15th  New  York  Regiment,  July  25,  1917,  54  officers,  2,053  men. 

All  of  those  units  were  afterwards  brought  up  to  full  strength. 

The  15th  New  York  went  into  final  training  at  Camp  Wads- 
worth,  Spartanburg,  S.  C,  where  the  New  York  National  Guard 
units  were  trained;  the  8th  Illinois  went  into  training  at  Camp 
Logan,  Houston,  Texas,  along  with  the  Illinois  National  Guard; 
the  Separate  Battalion  of  the  State  of  Ohio  at  Camp  Sheridan, 
Montgomery,  Alabama,  where  the  Ohio  National  Guard  units  were 
trained;  while  the  various  National  Guard  Companies  of  Massa- 
chusetts, Maryland,  and  Tennessee  were  eventually  amalgamated 
with  the  troops  here  mentioned  at  Camp  Stuart,  Newport  News, 
Virginia,  from  which  point  these  units  were  sent  overseas  as  mem- 
bers of  the  93d  Division  (Provisional),  under  command  of  Brigadier 
General  Roy  Hoffman. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war  the  War  Department  apparently 
was  uncertain  as  to  just  exactly  what  attitude  it  should  take  with 
reference  to  having  Negroes  enlist.  Eager  youths  of  the  race 
volunteered  their  services,  but  after  the  four  regular  military  units 
had  been  brought  up  to  their  proper  strength,  Negro  enlistment 
was  discouraged.  A  sample  of  the  kind  of  thing  which  served  to 
discourage  the  colored  people  in  the  early  days  of  the  war  was 
reflected  in  the  following  Associated  Press  telegram,  which  was 
sent  out  from  Richmond,  Virginia,  April  24,  1917: 
''negko  reckuiting  halted 

**  Richmond,  Va.,  April  24. — No  more  Negroes  will  be  accepted 
for  enlistment  in  the  United  States  Army  at  present.     This  was 


THE  CALL  TO  THE  COLORS  .  35 

the  order  received  by  Major  Hardeman,  officer  in  charge  of  the 
recruiting  station  here,  from  the  War  Department.  *  Colored  organ- 
izations filled,'  was  the  explanation." 

The  Negro  press  and  Negro  leaders  generally  became  insistent 
and  pressure  began  to  reach  the  War  Department  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  to  make  provision  for  colored  troops.  The  attitude 
of  the  Negro  people  was  reflected  in  the  editorial  expressions  of 
the  colored  newspapers.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  war  there  had 
been  among  colored  people  generally  a  great  deal  of  hostility  to 
the  administration  at  Washington,  which  was  regarded  as  un- 
friendly to  them,  and  this  attitude  of  mind  is  reflected  in  many  of 
the  editorial  expressions  which  then  appeared  in  the  colored  news- 
papers. 

Negro  Troops  in  the  Post  of  Honor 

Of  particular  interest  to  Negro  Americans,  however,  is  the 
fact  that  on  March  25,  1917,  the  Secretary  of  War,  by  order  of  the 
President,  called  the  First  Separate  Battalion,  District  of  Columbia 
Infantr}^,  National  Guard,  to  the  colors  to  defend  the  National 
Capital.  This  was  even  before  a  formal  declaration  of  war.  The 
telegram  follows: 

WAR  DEPARTMENT  TELEGRAM. 

Official  Business 
Washington,  D.  C. 
2557669  AGO 

March  25,  1917. 
To  Brigadier-General  William  E.  Harvey, 

Commanding  General  District  of  Columbia  National  Guard, 

Washington,  District  of  Columbia. 
Having  in  view  the  necessity  of  affording  a  more  perfect  protection 
against  the  interference  with  postal,  conunercial,  and  military  channels  and 
instrumentalities  of  the  United  States  in  the  District  of  Columbia  and  being 
unable  with  the  regular  troops  available  at  his  command  to  insure  the  faith- 
ful execution  of  the  laws  of  the  Union  in  this  regard,  the  President  has 
thought  proper  to  exercise  the  authority  vested  in  him  by  the  Constitution 
and  laws  and  to  call  out  the  National  Guard  necessary  for  the  purpose. 

I  am,  in  consequence,  instructed  by  the  President  to  call  into  the  service 
of  the  United  States  forthwith,   through  you,   the  following  units  of   the 


36  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

National  Guard  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  which  the  President  desires 
shall  be  assembled  at  the  places  to  be  designated  to  you  by  the  Commanding 
General,  Eastern  Department,  now  at  Governor's  Island,  New  York,  and 
which  said  Commanding  General  has  been  directed  to  communicate  to  you: 

First  Separate  Battalion  District  of  Columbia  Infantry,  National  Guard. 

(Signed)     Newton  D.  Baker, 

Secretary  of  War. 

Brigadier-General  Harvey  at  once  issued  orders  for  tlie  First 
Separate  Battalion  to  be  mobilized  for  instruction  and  muster. 
Before  breakfast  following  the  issuance  of  this  order  of  March  25, 
1917,  the  entire  strength  of  the  battalion  was  ready  for  orders  and 
assembled  at  its  armory  under  command  of  Major  James  E. 
Walker,  a  colored  officer. 

The  battalion  was  placed  in  charge  of  watching  the  water  sup- 
ply system,  guarding  six  immense  reservoirs,  the  Potomac  River 
projects,  and  the  various  power  plants  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
to  counter  any  possible  scheme  of  enemy  aliens  interfering  with 
these  projects  and  various  utilities. 

The  colored  Americans  of  the  District  of  Columbia  and  all 
Washington  regarded  this  assignment  of  the  First  Separate  Bat- 
talion to  guard  duty  within  the  shadow  of  the  White  House  as  a 
compliment  not  exceeded  by  any  since  the  Negro  became  a  full- 
fledged  citizen  of  the  American  Republic.  The  duty  of  protecting 
life  and  property  in  the  Nation's  capital  was  regarded  by  them 
as  being  comparable  to  the  assignments  usually  given  the  guard 
regiments  in  England,  where  men  of  undoubted  loyally  and  integ- 
rity are  given  the  sacred  obligation  of  protecting  St.  James's 
Palace,  Westminster  Abbey,  the  Tower  of  London,  and  the  Houses 
of  Parliament,  the  places  that  stand  nearest  to  the  welfare  and 
dignity  of  the  British  crown. 

The  men  of  the  First  Separate  Battalion  and  the  colored  citi- 
zens of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  of  the  \vhole  United  States, 
regarded  the  call  of  the  First  Separate  Battalion  to  the  colors  as 
having  in  it  a  special  compliment  from  another  point  of  Yiew.  It 
was  highly  significant  that  their  very  color  which  Was  the  basis 
of  discrimination  in  time  of  peace  was  considered  prima  facie  evi- 
dence of  unquestionable  loyalty  in  time  of  war. 


THE  CALL  TO  THE  COLORS  37 

In  this  battalion  there  were  to  be  found  no  hyphenates.  In 
fact,  the  Negro  has  always  proved  himself  to  be  100-per-cent 
American,  without  alien  sympathies  and  without  hyphenate  alle- 
giance. The  fact  that  a  colored  military  unit  was  placed  in  this 
first  honor  post,  to  protect  the  President,  the  Congress,  and  the 
great  Executive  Departments  of  the  Nation,  as  well  as  the  vital 
supply  stations  that  make  for  the  health,  happiness,  and  personal 
security  of  the  capital  of  the  American  Republic,  was  tua  honor 
keenly  appreciated. 

At  about  the  time  that  the  First  Separate  Battalion  was  called 
out  to  guard  the  National  Capital  the  Baltimore  Sun,  a  white  news- 
paper, contained  the  following  expression: 

"The   Afro- American   is   the   only  hyphenate,  we  believe, 
who  has  not  been  suspected  of  a  divided  allegiance." 

It  was  altogether  natural  that  there  should  be  speculation 
among  both  white  and  colored  citizens  as  to  why  this  particular 
regiment  should  be  the  first  called  to  the  colors  on  the  eve  of  the 
great  war  declaration.  Probably  the  editorial  expression  of  the 
Baltimore  (Maryland)  "Afro- American"  may  be  quoted  as  to  the 
speculative  attitude  at  least,  of  colored  Americans,  which  was  as 
follows : 

"why  this  particular  honor?" 

"Washington,  D.  C,  has  assumed  a  rather  warlike  aspect  through  the 
calling  out  of  the  National  Guard  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  railway  bridges 
in  and  around  the  city,  the  public  buildings,  and  the  water  and  lighting 
systems.  Strangely  enough  the  First  Separate  Battalion  of  colored  troop- 
ers were  mustered  in  to  perform  this  service,  and  by  this  time  have  per- 
haps taken  the  oath,  which  will  incorporate  them  into  the  ranks  of  the 
regulars. 

"In  answer  to  this  question  of  why  such  honor  should  be  conferred 
upon  the  colored  troops  when  the  white  national  guards  of  the  same  city 
are  more  nearly  prepared — the  Separate  Battalion  is  still  wearing  its  old 
blue  uniforms — many  explanations  have  been  heard  in  the  capital  city. 

"There  are  some  who  have  in  mind  President  Wilson's  statement  that 
great  care  should  be  exercised  in  calling  out  the  Guardsmen,  and  every 
precaution  taken  that  the  industrial  plants  of  the  country  might  not  suffer 
by  premature  loss  of  workers  belonging  to  the  Guards.     Should  this  be 


38  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

the  explanation  of  the  Government's  move  in  Washington,  then  Maryland, 
New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  Illinois  might  also  expect  that  their  colored 
troopers  will  be  the  first  to  be  called  into  service. 

"However,  there  is  also  another  whisper  going  the  rounds  in  the  cap- 
ital of  the  nation,  to  the  effect  that  the  white  regiments  of  the  National 
Guards  have  so  many  foreigners  and  especially  Germans  belonging  that  the 
Government  was  afraid  to  entrust  to  them  the  task  of  watching  over  Gov- 
ernmental buildings  of  such  immense  importance  as  the  Capitol,  White 
House  and  the  houses  where  the  various  departments  transact  their  business. 
It  is  said  that  a  white  trooper  on  guard  at  some  strategic  point  might  be  a 
German-American  and  be  persuaded  to  let  pass  a  German  confederate 
armed  with  dynamite  to  blow  up  the  Capitol.  On  the  other  hand,  the  col- 
ored troopers  are  known  to  be  loyal  Americans,  and  the  army  officials  are 
certain  that  no  one  can  pass  their  lines,  not  even  the  Commanding  Gen- 
eral, unless  he  has  the  password. 

"For  loyalty  of  this  kind  our  country  ought  to  be  willing  to  pay  some- 
thing. It  ought  to  be  willing  to  pay  the  price  of  having  its  loyal  colored 
men  educated  for  commissioned  officers  in  the  very  best  schools  in  the 
nation;  it  ought  to  be  willing  to  pay  the  price  of  having  these  citizens  en- 
joy every  right  and  privilege  that  German-Americans  or  any  others  enjoy; 
it  ought  even  to  be  willing  to  have  trustworthy  colored  officers  command 
regiments  of  white  men,  which  may  not  be  regarded  as  quite  so  trustworthy. 

"Our  Government  will  do  these  things,  if  the  Negro  will  regard  his 
loyalty  as  an  asset,  to  be  sold  at  the  price  of  citizenship." 

Major  James  E.  "Walker,  the  colored  officer  who  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  First  Separate  Battalion,  District  of  Columbia  Infantry 
National  Guard,  when  it  was  called  to  guard  the  National  Capital, 
was  born  in  Albemarle  County,  Virginia,  September  7,  1874.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  and  was  graduated  from  the  high  and 
normal  schools  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  He  was  connected  with 
the  public  schools  of  the  District  for  more  than  twenty-four  years 
as  a  teacher  and  supervisor  of  the  Thirteenth  Division  and  served 
as  such  until  ordered  to  the  Mexican  border  with  the  District  of 
Columbia  National  Guard  in  1916. 

His  military  services  began  in  1896,  when  he  was  appointed  first 
lieutenant  in  the  First  Separate  Battalion  of  the  National  Guard 
of  the  District  of  Columbia.  In  1909  he  was  commiissioned  cap- 
tain; in  1912,  by  and  through  a  competitive  examination,  he  was 


THE  CALL  TO  THE  COLORS  39 

commissioned  major,  after  the  resignation  of  Major,  now  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel, Arthur  Brooks, 

The  First  Separate  Battalion,  under  Major  Walker,  was  the 
first  unit  of  the  Distnet  National  Guard  to  be  recruited  to  war 
strength  in  Washington  City,  and  they  were  among  the  first  troops 
to  be  sent  to  the  Mexican  border  at  the  time  war  threatened  be- 
tween Mexico  and  the  United  States  in  1916.  They  immediately 
relieved  the  troops  of  the  regular  army  and  were  assigned  to  the 
duty  of  guarding  the  water  works  at  Naco,  Arizona,  which  supplied 
five  or  six  towns  in  the  vicinity.  Aside  from  his  duties  there  as 
battalion  commander,  Major  Walker  was  selected  to  act  as  intelli- 
gence ofiicer  for  the  Government. 

On  March  25,  1917,  the  battalion  was  called  on  to  guard  the 
National  Capital,  and  it  was  there  that  the  constant  vigil  of  Major 
Walker  began  its  inroads  on  his  health.  He  realized  that  in  select- 
ing his  command  to  safely  guard  the  National  Capital,  with  its 
public  buildings,  water  supply,  railroads  and  all  other  important 
facilities,  the  Government  was  prompted  in  its  selection  by  the 
high  rate  of  efficiency  and  undoubted  loyalty  which  his  battalion 
had  established  for  itself,  and  in  order  to  continue  in  this  high 
regard,  he  sacrificed  health  and  everything  else  save  that  which 
makes  for  the  true  soldier — duty. 

He  was  ordered  to  Fort  Bayard,  New  Mexico,  to  the  United 
States  hospital,  for  treatment,  hoping  to  regain  his  health.  How- 
ever the  best  medical  skill  was  of  no  avail  and  he  died,  April  4, 
1918,  the  first  officer  of  the  military  forces  of  the  District  of 
Columbia  to  give  his  life  for  the  Nation  and  world-democracy. 
His  remains  were  sent  home  with  military  escort,  and  his  body  w^as 
interred  in  Arlington  National  Cemetery. 

His  funeral,  which  was  conducted  from  the  Nineteenth  Street 
Baptist  Church,  Washington,  D.  C,  of  which  Eev.  W.  H.  Brooks  is 
pastor,  was  attended  by  a  large  proportion  of  the  colored  citizen- 
ship of  the  District  of  Columbia,  who,  despite  the  cold,  bleak  day, 
followed  his  remains  to  Arlington  Cemetery. 


CHAPTER  III 

OFFICIAL  RECOGNITION  OF  THE  NEGRO'S 
INTEREST 

Appointment  of  Emmett  J.  Scott  as  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War — Difficulties  Encoumtered  in  Establishing  Negro's 
Status — Opportunities  Afforded  for  Effective  Work  on  Behalf 
of  Colored  Soldiers — Better  Opportunities  for  Negro  Officers, 
Soldiers,  Nurses,  Surgeons  and  Others  Obtained  Through  This 
Official  Connection. 

On  October  5,  1917,  the  Official  Bulletin  (published  under  the 
direction  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Information),  and  the  Asso- 
ciated Press,  carried  the  following  announcement: 

''ADVISOR  TO  WAR  DEPARTMENT 

''Secretary  Newton  D.  Baker  of  the  War  Department  announces 
that  Emmett  J.  Scott,  for  eighteen  years  confidential  secretary  to 
the  late  Booker  T.  Washington,  and  at  present  secretary  of  the 
Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute  for  Negroes,  has  been 
assigned  to  duty  in  the  War  Department  as  confidential  advisor  in 
matters  affecting  the  interests  of  the  10,000,000  Negroes  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  part  they  are  to  play  in  connection  with  the 
present  war." 

This  was  the  first  intimation  that  the  Secretary  of  War  had 
been  giving  attention  to  the  matter  of  calling  to  his  side  a  colored 
man  to  advise  w^ith  him  matters  concerning  colored  soldiers  and 
colored  Americans  generally.  There  has  been  very  great  curiosity 
on  the  part  of  a  great  many  people  as  to  how  this  appointment  came 
about. 

Unfortunately,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Germany  there 
seemed  to  be  in  America  an  epidemic  of  racial  disturbances,  such  as 

40 


RECOGNITION  OF  THE  NEGRO'S  INTEREST  41 

friction  due  to  the  rapid  emigration  of  Negro  labor  from  the  South 
to  the  North,  lynchings  of  Negro  men  and  women  in  a  number  of 
the  states,  etc.,  all  of  which  disturbances  were  seized  upon  and  mag- 
nified through  the  lens  of  a  well-directed  German  propaganda,  with 
the  manifest  purpose  of  stirring  up  a  feehng  of  bitterness  and 
unrest  among  both  white  and  colored  Americans.  There  is  ample 
evidence  to  support  the  statement  that  pro-German  influence  was 
for  a  time  diligently  at  work  in  the  vain  effort  to  dampen  the  ardor 
and  cool  the  patriotism  of  Negro  Americans  and  to  thus  make  them 
careless  or  indifferent  in  support  of  their  country's  war  program. 
With  a  view  to  stabilizing  conditions,  as  an  earnest  of  the  Govern- 
ment's desire  to  secure  the  unqualified  support  of  all  classes  of 
American  citizens,  and  evidently  for  the  special  purpose  of  reassur- 
ing Negroes  throughout  the  country  that  the  Government  in  general, 
and  the  War  Department  in  particular  entertained  a  friendly  and 
just  attitude  toward  them,  a  representative  member  of  that  racial 
group  was  appointed  by  Secretary  Baker  to  serve  with  him  as  Spe- 
cial Assistant  during  the  period  of  the  war. 

My  designation  was  due  primarily  to  a  call  during  the  month 
of  August,  1917,  by  Dr.  Robert  R.  Moton,  Principal  of  Tuskegee 
Institute,  upon  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  which  he  pointed  out  the 
need  and  necessity  of  having  in  the  War  Department  a  colored  man 
in  touch  with  Northern  and  Southern  white  people  and  colored  peo- 
ple, who  could  advise  whenever  delicate  questions  arose  affecting 
the  interests  of  the  colored  people  of  the  United  States.  Dr.  Moton 
sought  to  convey  the  heartening  impulse  which  would  come  to  the 
colored  people  of  the  country  if  the  Government  during  its  period  of 
war  should  in  this  direct  way  recognize  the  racial  group  of  which 
he  is  himself  an  honored  member. 

Correspondence  with  Julius  Rosenwald 

Prior  to  Dr.  Moton 's  call  at  the  War  Department  to  confer 
with  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  author  had  been  in  direct  corre- 
spondence with  Mr.  Julius  Rosenwald,  a  member  of  the  Advisory 
Board  of  the  Council  of  National  Defense,  to  whom  he  addressed 
a  letter  under  date  of  March  24,  1917,  reading  as  follows : 


42  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Tuskegee  Institute,  Alabama,  March  24,  1917. 
Mr.  Julius  Rosenwald, 
Member  National  Defense  Board, 
Washington,  D.  C. 
Dear  Mr.  Rosenwald : 

I  have  not  been  in  the  slightest  degree  confused  as  to  what  attitude 
the  Negro  people  should  assume  in  connection  with  the  present  threatened 
war  situation,  but  I  have  been  somewhat  concerned  at  what  the  attitude 
of  the  Administration  Avill  be  with  respect  to  the  Negro  people.  There  are 
ten  millions  of  us  in  this  country — the  only  country  to  which  we  owe 
allegiance,  etc. 

You  will  note  by  the  attached  interview  which  was  sent  out  by  the 
Associated  Press  last  summer  following  the  Carrizal  incident,  what  I 
had  to  say  respecting  the  threatened  trouble  with  IMexico.  The  Negro 
people  feel  just  the  same  way  with  respect  to  the  German  situation. 

The  point  of  this  letter,  then,  is  to  ask  you  as  a  member  of  the  National 
Defense  Board  as  to  whether  or  not  you  will  carefully  bear  in  mind  what 
I  have  written,  and  command  me  and  all  of  us  here  at  Tuskegee  most 
freely  in  connection  with  any  and  all  situations  in  which  we  can  be  of 
service  during  this  crucial  hour. 

In  all  former  wars  in  which  they  have  participated,  the  Negro  people 
have  proved  by  their  courage  and  valor  their  willingness  to  fight  for 
American  liberty,  and  I  believe  they  will  respond  in  like  measure  in  the 
present  emergency;  and  I  also  believe  that  the  American  people  will  find 
themselves  more  and  more  disposed  to  accord  full  appreciation  to  a  people 
who  are  willing  to  lay  down  their  lives  in  defense  of  democracy  and  the 
well-being  of  their  great  country. 

My  responsibilities  here  at  Tuskegee  Institute  you  know  about  as 
fully  as  any  one  else,  but  I  wish  you  to  know  at  the  same  time  my  entire 
willingness  to  serve  the  present  situation  in  any  way  that  in  your  opinion 
may   seem   wise   and   desirable. 

Yours  very  truly, 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.   Scott, 

Mr.  Eosenwald  suggested  that  the  author  prepare  a  resolution 
expressive  of  the  feelings  of  the  colored  people  that  might  be 
presented  to  the  Council  of  National  Defense.  The  answer  was  as 
follows : 

Tuskegee  Institute,  Alabama,  April  7,  1917. 
Dear  Mr.  Rosenwald : 

I  have  your  letter  of  April  4th,  and  am  returning  the  papers  here- 


RECOGNITION  OF  THE  NEGRO'S  INTEREST  43 

with,    together    with    revised    resolution    which    I    trust    may    have    your 
approval. 

I  am  very  much  gratified  to  leani  that  the  Council  of  National  Defense 
is  entirely  sympathetic  and  disposed  to  pass  a  resolution  of  this  character. 
It  will  accomplish  very  great  good.  It  should  be  done,  however,  as  you 
say,  in  just  the  right  way. 

Throughout  the  South  there  is  considerable  apprehension  at  this  time 
as  to  whether  or  not  the  Negro  people  are  going  to  remain  loyal  to  the 
country  in  this  crisis.  There  need  be  no  fears  on  this  score.  As  I  sought 
to  express  in  my  letter  of  March  24,  the  American  people,  I  believe,  will 
be  disposed  more  and  more  to  remove  such  handicaps  and  to  right 
such  injustices  as  we  now  struggle  against  after  the  settlement  of  this 
great  emergency  which  now  faces  our  common  country.  I  have  referred 
to  the  patriotism  of  the  Negro  rising  above  wrongs  and  injustices  so 
as  to  disarm  that  element  of  our  people  who  are  urging  that  the  Negro 
emphasize  his  wrongs  and  injustices  so  as  to  force  from  the  Government 
his  recognition  of  his  guaranteed  rights  under  the  Constitution,  etc.  My 
thought  and  idea  is  that  a  sentence  of  this  character  will  take  note  of 
the  fact  that  the  Negro  does  labor  under  certain  handicaps  and  injustices 
and  yet  rises  above  it  in  the  face  of  national  emergency  and  need.  I  hope 
that  the  resolution  as  drafted  may  have  your  approval. 

"With  best  wishes,  I  am, 

Yours  very  truly, 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.  Scott. 

The  Resolution  as  finally  drafted  and  submitted  to  Mr.  Rosen- 
wald  follows: 

"1.  There  are  in  the  United  States  ten  million  Negro  people.  These 
people  have  shown  allegiance  to  no  country  other  than  the  United  States. 
They  are  in  a  peculiar  and  noble  sense  the  children  of  a  united  republic. 
They  possess  a  patriotism  which  has  always  risen  above  wrongs  and 
injustices.  There  are  no  hyphenates  among  them.  These  people  take  pride 
in  the  fact  that  it  was  the  charge  of  Negro  troops  at  San  Juan  Hill  in 
the  Spanish-American  War  that  turned  the  tide  there,  and  that  Negroes 
have  fought  bravely  in  every  Avar  in  which  this  country  has  engaged. 
The  Negro  was  with  Jackson  at  New  Orleans,  with  Perry  on  Lake  Erie, 
and  180,000  Negro  soldiers  sei*ved  in  the  Civil  War. 

"2.  The  Government  and  the  people  of  the  United  States  arc  deeply 
sensible  of  the  loyal  support  rendered  by  the  Negroes  of  America  to  their 
country  in  past  days  of  national  emergency  and  need. 

"3.     Therefore,    Be    It   Resolved,    That   the    Council    of   National   De- 


44  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

fense  and  the  Advisory  Commission  thereto,  in  joint  conference  assembled, 
urge  that  this  Government  shall,  without  regard  to  racial,  political  or  geo- 
graphical divisions,  give  due  heed  to,  and  exercise  appreciation  of  the  past 
loyalty  of  its  Negro  citizens  and  of  their  eager  desire  to  bear  anew  a 
generous  and  helpful  part  in  the  common  cause  of  the  national  defense." 

There  were  still  some  doubts  and  misgivings,  however,  as  to 
whether  the  Council  of  National  Defense  should  pass  the  resolution, 
which  led  to  further  con-espondence : 

Tuskegee  Intitute,  Alabama,  April  17,  1917. 
My  Dear  Mr.  Rosenwald: 

I  do  most  earnestly  urge  that  the  resolutions,  preamble  an-d  all,  be 
published.  My  reasons  rest  on  the  concrete  fact  that  the  opinion  pre- 
vails in  many  quarters  that  colored  men  are  not  desired  by  the  Adminis- 
tration to  have  any  part  in  the  prosecution  of  this  war.  For  instance, 
as  I  write,  I  have  before  me  now  a  letter  just  received  from  a  man  who 
is  probably  the  most  prominent  colored  physician  of  Philadelphia,  with 
this  paragraph: 

The  war.  There  is  not  much  to  be  said  about  it. 
Mr.  Wilson  has  plainly  shown  that  he  would  like  to  get 
along  as  much  as  possible  without  the  Negro.  I  see  in 
tonight's  "Bulletin"  that  it  has  been  decided  for  the 
first  time  in  two  years  to  enlist  colored  men  for  the  reg- 
ular infantry  and  cavalry.  Active  enlistment  campaigns 
are  going  on  here  for  crews  for  various  warships,  but 
Negroes  are  not  wanted  save  as  waiters  and  lackej^s. 
It  is  hard  to  be  loyal  and  patriotic  under  these  circum- 
stances, though  it  will  not  do  any  good  to  be  otherwise. 

This  same  thing  is  being  said  over  and  over  again  by  other  colored 
men,  and  by  many  of  the  colored  newspapers  of  the  country.  I  enclose 
tAvo  statements  I  have  just  clipped  from  one  of  our  most  prominent 
colored  newspapers.  I  have  kept  watch  on  this  phase  from  the  beginning, 
and  fundamentally  this  w^as  back  of  my  original  communication  to  you. 

I  appreciate  the  point  of  vieAV  suggested  by  members  of  the  Council, 
and  am  of  the  opinion  that  what  I  have  here  suggested  and  mentioned 
bears  out  the  fact  that  there  is  an  existing  feeling  that  there  is  "some 
evidence  (or  feeling)  of  discrimination  sentiment,"  if  not  in  action.  The 
compelling  reasons,  in  my  opinion,  overbear  the  suggested  objections. 
I  have  taken  occasion  to  mention  the  matter  to  Dr.  Moton  and  he 
concurs  with  me  in  my  conclusion. 


RECOGNITION  OF  THE  NEGRO'S  INTEREST  45 

With  thanks  ah\ays  for  your  interest  and  generous  support  of  all 
that  concerns  us  as  a  race,  I  am 

Yours   very   sincerely, 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.  Scott. 

After  the  Race  Was  Reco^ized 

Shortly  after  the  author's  appointment  as  Special  Assistant  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  hundreds  of  letters  poured  into  the  War 
Department  from  colored  citizens  residing  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  commending  Secretary  Newton  D.  Baker  for  his  action  in 
selecting  a  colored  man  to  represent  the  interests  of  that  racial 
group  during  the  period  of  the  War,  and  expressing  their  satisfac- 
tion with  the  particular  choice  which  had  been  made.  The  senti- 
ment of  the  white  South  with  reference  to  this  appointment  is 
best  conveyed  by  the  following  typical  editorial  expression  which 
appeared  in  the  Mobile  News  Item,  a  white  newspaper  published 
in  the  heart  of  the  South:  "The  appointment  is  a  wise  move  and 
a  wise  selection.  While  the  Government  is  coordinating  all  the 
interests  of  the  country  in  the  movement  to  win  the  war  with 
Germany,  it  should  not  overlook  the  colored  people.  Thousands 
of  them  have  been  drafted  and  are  being  trained  for  duty  in  the 
trenches.  They  are  to  wear  their  country's  uniform  and  represent 
their  country  in  the  greatest  conflict  of  all  times.  Millions  will 
stay  at  home  tilling  the  fields  and  working  in  the  countiy's  indus- 
tries. They  have  their  problems  no  less  than  others,  and  it  is  well 
that  one  who  knows  them  so  intimately  is  to  advise  the  Government 
how  to  meet  these  problems." 

The  colored  newspapers  were  equally  responsive  in  their 
endorsement  of  the  new  policy  adopted  by  Secretary  Baker  as 
indicated  by  his  appointment  of  a  representative  of  the  Negro 
race  to  advise  him  on  all  matters  affecting  the  interests  of  that 
particular  group  during  the  period  of  the  war,  and  in  numerous 
editorial  comments  and  special  articles  warmly  commended  the 
selection. 

Endorsed  by  Leading  Citizens 

Important  white  Americans,  including  such  representative  citi- 
zens as  Mr.  George  Foster  Peabody,  the  New  York  philanthropist, 


46  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

and  Mr.  Julius  Eosenwald,  a  member  of  the  Advisory  Com.mission 
of  the  Council  of  National  Defense,  approved  the  appointment  at 
various  times  and  have  given  the  author  the  warmest  encouragement 
and  support;  without  such  encouragement  and  support  from 
colored  Americans  and  w^hite  Americans  alike,  it  would  have  been 
most  difficult  to  handle  even  a  small  proportion  of  the  many  prob- 
lems which  came  to  the  office. 

Mr.  Rosenwald,  in  an  address  at  the  Tuskegee  Normal  and 
Industrial  Institute,  of  which  he  is  a  trustee,  speaking  to  the 
officers  and  teachers  and  students  of  the  school,  March  12,  1918, 
said: 

"In  noticing  this  flag,  this  Service  Flag,  hung  here  in  the 
Chapel,  I  could  not  help  but  feel  that  there  ought  to  be  one  very 
large  star  there,  because  the  Secretary  of  War  said  to  me — although 
I  was  not  directly  responsible,  and  I  wanted  to  deny  the  responsi- 
bility, while  I  would  have  been  proud  to  claim  it,  for  Mr.  Scott's 
coming  into  the  War  Department — but,  notwithstanding  that,  the 
Secretary  of  War  has  thanked  me  over  and  over  again,  as  a 
Trustee  of  Tuskegee  Institute,  for  the  service  he  is  rendering  the 
War  Department  and  the  Nation.  When  the  question  came  up,  I 
said  that  nothing  would  please  me  better  than  to  see  Mr.  Scott  in 
Washington,  in  the  War  Department,  and,  of  course,  none  of  us 
would  question  but  what  w^e  would  all  be  proud  of  him  in  that 
work  as  we  always  have  been  in  eveiything  he  has  undertaken. 
There  was  no  question  about  his  making  good.  That  was  a  fore- 
gone conclusion,  and  as  a  Trustee  I  know  you,  teachers  and 
students  of  Tuskegee,  sliare  that  pride  with  me  and  the  other 
Trustees  in  having  Mr.  Scott  in  that  conspicuous  position.  Cer- 
tainly no  prouder  honor  could  come  to  anyone!" 

Professor  Kelly  Miller,  Dean  of  the  College  of  Arts  and 
Sciences,  Howard  University,  a  colored  college  professor  of  high 
standing,  at  a  mass  meeting  of  the  colored  citizens  of  the  District 
of  Columbia  at  the  Dunbar  High  School,  October  22,  1917,  also  in 
referring  to  the  appointment   said: 

''The  thanks  of  the  race,  amounting  almost  to  gratitude,  are 
due  the  Secretary  of  War  for  his  statesmanlike  grasp  of  the  situa- 
tion in  designating  one  of  our  number  to  help  in  bringing  the  race 
into  sympathetic  understanding  and  cheerful  cooperation  with  the 


RECOGNITION  OF  THE  NEGRO'S  INTEREST  47 

plans  and  purpose  of  the  Government  as  they  relate  to  the  great 
struggle  in  which  the  world  is  now  involved.  Secretary  Baker  in 
meeting  the  impending  military  emergency  has  laid  the  basis  of  a 
broad  and  far-reaching  statesmanship.  I  have  always  contended, 
and  shall  always  contend,  that  the  fundamental  grievance  of  the 
Negro  against  the  American  people  consists  in  the  fact  that  he  is 
shut  out  from  participation  in  the  making  and  administering  of 
the  laws  by  which  he  is  governed  and  controlled.  The  nation 
cannot  expect  that  the  Negro  will  always  remain  an  ardent,  enthu- 
siastic citizen,  eager  to  play  his  part,  if  he  is  to  be  forever  shut 
out  from  equal  participation  in  and  protection  under  the  law.  It 
is  imposing  too  great  a  tax  upon  the  docility  even  of  the  Negro, 
to  make  him  the  victim  of  harshly  enforced  discriminatory  laws 
and  expect  that  he  will  forever  exhibit  this  patriotism  and  loyalty 
with  ecstatic  enthusiasm  and  paeans  of  joy.  The  race  may  rest 
assured  that  its  interest  will  be  looked  after  and  safeguarded  so 
far  as  the  military  situation  is  concerned  as  long  as  Emmett  J. 
Scott  sits  at  the  council  table. 

*'I  regard  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Scott,  as  Special  Assistant 
to  the  Secretary  of  War,  aS  the  most  significant  appointment  that 
has  yet  come  to  the  colored  race.  Other  colored  men  have  been 
appointed  to  high  office  under  different  administrations,  but  the 
appointments  have  been  mainly  a  reward  for  political  service,  or 
representation  of  a  contributing  element  to  party  success.  Such 
appointments  are  altogether  worthy  and  desirable,  but  they  are 
not  supposed  to  carry  with  them  any  particular  function  affecting 
the  welfare  of  the  colored  race.  The  appointment  of  Mr.  Scott,  on 
the  other  hand,  is  for  the  express  purpose  of  securing  the  cheer- 
ful cooperation  of  the  Negro  race  in  the  accomplishment  of  the 
greatest  task  to  which  our  Government  has  committed  itself.  This 
is  not  merely  representation  for  the  sake  of  political  reward,  but 
representation  carrying  with  it  the  vital  governmental  function." 

Shortly  after  the  appointment  of  the  Special  Assistant,  letters 
written  by  a  number  of  representative  colored  Americans  in  all 
sections  of  the  country,  and  representing  many  of  the  leading 
Negro  organizations,  denominations,  etc.,  were  received  by  the 
Secretary  of  War,  to  which  he  made  reply  similar  in  tenor  to  that 
indicated  in  the  correspondence  printed  below: 


48  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Financial  Department  of  the  A.  M.  E,  Church, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

October  8,  1917. 
Hon.  Newton  D.  Baker, 
Secretary  of  "War, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
Dear  Sir: 

Please  allow  me  to  express  to  yon  my  very  great  delight  and  appre- 
ciation of  your  appointment  of  Mr.  Emmett  J.  Scott  as  a  special  assistant 
or  aid  of  the  War  Department  to  represent  the  Colored  race  during  this 
war    period. 

The  selection  and  appointment  of  capable  colored  men  to  such  posi- 
tions of  trust  and  responsibility  will  prove  of  very  great  value  in  the 
work  of  a  proper  adjustment  of  matters  so  vital  to  the  best  interest  of 
our    common    cause. 

This  act  of  yours  is  a  fitting  recognition  of  the  Negro's  high  sense 
of  patriotism  and  faithfulness  to  duty  as  well  as  his  fitness  and  willing- 
ness to  contribute  his  best  in  mind  and  spirit  to  the  cause  of  right. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     John  R,  Hawkins, 
Secretary,  Financial  Department,  A.  M.  P].  Church. 

The  Reply- 
War  Department 
Washington 
Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War 

October  9,  1917. 
My  Dear  Mr.  Hawkins: 

I  have  received  your  letter  of  October  8th  and  am  delighted  to 
know  that  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Scott  is  meeting  with  such  general 
approval  among  his  people. 

I  have  long  known  of  his  splendid  character  and  of  his  attainments, 
and  it  is  source  of  comfort  to  me  to  knoAv  that  I  can  have  the  benefit 
of  his  advice  more  constantly,  now  that  he  has  accepted  a  permanent 
relation  to  my  office.  Cordially  yours, 

(Signed)     Newton  D.  Baker, 

Secretary  of  War. 
Mr.  John  R.  HaAvkins, 

1541  Fourteenth  Street  N.  W. 
Washington,  D.  C. 


Group   of   Officers — Reading-   left    to    right — Top    Row — 2nd    Lt.    A.    C.    Murdough,    350th   F.    A.  ; 

Capt.    T.    E.    Jones,    Med.    Corps;    1st   Lt.    J.    H.    Scott.    350th    F.    A. 
Center — 1st  Lt.  J.  W.  Love;   1st  Lt.  G.  A.  Price,  and  1st  Lt.  Wm.  R.   Smalls,  all  of  350th  F.  A. 
Bottom — 1st    Lt.    Herbert    Harris,    Dental    Corps ;    1st    Lt.    J.    H.    Cooper,    350th    F.    A.  ;    1st    Lt 

A.    B.    McKenzle,    Med    Corps. 


^boue— Dancing  School  Conducted  at  K.  of  C.  Builrling  for  Men  of  Labor  Battalion  by  Louis- 
ville W.  C.  C.  S. 
BeJow;— Baltimore    W.    C.    C.    S.      Saturday    night    dance    at    the    W.    C.    C.    S.    Colored    Club. 


Above — Official  Photograph  of  American  Negiu  Iroups  at  drill.     Bringins'  up  the  machine  guns, 
cewter— -American  Negro  Troops  brigaded  with  the  French  Army,  drilling  under  French  Officers 

with  French  machine  guns. 
Below — A  Company  of  Negro  Infantry  wearing  French  helmets,  as  they  were  brigaded  with  French 

Troops.     Photo  taken  at  Herpunt,  in  the  Meuse  Sector. 


Above — Two    Officers    Who   Won   the    Croix    de    Guerre.      Capt.    Stewart    Alexander    on    the    left, 

and  Lieut.   Frank  Robinson,  both  decorated   by  the  French  for  conspicuous  bravery  on  the 

field  of  battle. 
Below— Three    Negro    Officers    Who    Won    Distinction    Overseas.      Left    to    right:     Lieut.     v\m. 

Andrews,   Commanding  Negro  Casuals,  of  Chicago  ;  Lieut.   H.   A.   Rogers  of  Richmond,  Va., 

and   Lieut.   J.   A.   Rucker   of   Natchez,   Miss. 


Above— Colored    Troops    on    Sentry    Duty    Near    the    Front    Lines. 
Jeiow;— American    Camp    for    Colored    Troops    in    France. 


RECOGNITION  OF  THE  NEGRO'S  INTEREST  49 

Letter  of  Credentials 

To  make  my  work  effective  as  I  went  from  camp  to  camp, 
Secretary  Baker  addressed  a  letter  to  Division  and  Brigade  Com- 
manders which  was  inclusive  enough  to  give  me  authority  to  make 
any  inquiries  I  deemed  necessary  to  be  made  in  camps  or  canton- 
ments regai'ding  conditions  aifecting  Colored   Troops. 

The  Secretary  of  War's  letter  read  as  follows: 

War    Department 

Washington 

Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War 

November  1,   1917, 
TO  DIVISION  AND  BRIGADE  COMMANDERS: 

I  have  appointed  Mr.  Emmett  J.  Scott,  of  Tuskegee  Institute, 
Alabama,  as  a  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  advise  with 
respect  to  the  colored  people  of  the  United  States,  colored  drafted  men, 
and  the  colored  men  who  constitute  units  of  National  Guard  Divisions. 

He  will  be  visiting  National  Army  cantonments  and  National  Guard 
camps,  and  it  is  my  desire  that  he  be  given  every  opportunity  to  follow- 
up  the  work  I  have  entrusted  to  his  care. 
He  will  personally  present  this  letter. 

(Signed)     Newton  D.  Baker, 

Secretary  of  War. 

How  the  Office  Has  Functioned 

There  was  considerable  misunderstanding  and  false  impression 
at  the  beginning  as  to  the  real  function  of  the  office  of  *' Special 
Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War,"  as  to  the  real  scope  and  limita- 
tions of  the  appointment,  and  as  to  the  real  purpose  that  called 
the  author  to  Washington.  Judging  from  thousands  of  letters  he 
received,  covering  every  subject  imaginable,  and  from  various 
public  comments  and  utterances  during  a  period  of  twenty-one 
months,  it  would  seem  that  he  had  been  appointed  a  "Special 
Committee  of  One"  to  adjust  and  settle  at  once  any  and  all  mat- 
ters and  difficulties  of  whatsoever  kind  and  nature  which  had  any 
bearing  upon  the  race  problem  in  America. 

^ome  of  the  correspondents,  and  a  few  critics,  seemed  to  forget 
that  this  appointment  was  never  intended  to  be  an  immediate  cure 
for  all  of  our  racial  ills  in  America.    My  call  to  the  Nation's  Cap- 


50  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

ital  was  to  advise  in  matters  affecting  primarily  the  interests  of 
colored  draftees  and  colored  soldiers,  as  well  as  to  render  counsel 
and  assistance  in  those  matters,  including  the  interests  of  soldiers' 
families  and  dependents,  and,  in  a  sense,  the  morale  of  Colored 
Americans  generally  during  the  war.  Some  seemingly  failed  to 
remember  that  the  race  problem  in  America  has  been  pending  ever 
since  the  Civil  War;  that  certain  phases  of  that  problem  have 
remained  troublesome  and  unsolved  even  in  the  ordinary  times  of 
peace  in  spite  of  the  vigorous  and  consecrated  efforts  of  prominent 
race  leaders  who  have  ably  pleaded  our  race's  cause  before  the 
bar  of  public  opinion  for  the  past  fifty  years.  It  was  therefore 
manifestly  unfair  to  expect  that  the  mere  appointment  of  a  '^  Spe- 
cial Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War"  would  effectually  abolish 
overnight  all  racial  discriminations  and  injustices,  some  of  which 
were  sanctioned  by  law;  or  that  the  Special  Assistant  would  be 
able  to  solve,  during  twenty-one  months  of  the  critic^d  and  abnormal 
period  of  war,  all  those  intricate  problems  affecting  the  Negro  race 
in  America  that  others  were  unable  to  solve  in  fifty  years  of  peace. 
While  the  author  has  never  minimized  any  wrong,  nor  acted  in  the 
role  of  an  apologist,  nor  condoned  any  injustice  visited  upon  a 
single  member  of  the  Negro  race,  either  before  or  during  the  recent 
world  war,  yet  he  has  diligently  directed  his  efforts  towards  secur- 
ing the  best  possible  results  obtainable  out  of  every  situation  that 
has  arisen. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  WORK  OF  THE  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT 

Guarding  the  Interests  of  Negro  Soldiers  and  CiviliaAis — Promoting 
a  Healthy  Morale — Cases  of  Alleged  Discrimination  Against 
Negro  Draftees — 2'he  Edward  Merchant  Case — The  John  D. 
Wray  Case — How  Justice  Was  Secured — A  Wo/r  Department 
Inquiry — Training  for  Colored  Officers. 

At  the  time  that  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of 
War  was  called  to  Washington,  in  October,  1917,  the  war  was  in 
progress  and  the  first  draft  law  was  being  enforced.  His  fii'st 
duties  consisted  principally  in  urging  the  equal  and  impartial  ap- 
plication of  the  Selective  Service  Regulations  to  black  men  and 
white  men  alike,  and  formulating  plans  calculated  to  promote  a 
healthy  morale  among  Negro  soldiers  and  civilians.  In  his  effort 
to  properly  represent  the  interests  of  Negro  draftees  throughout 
his  tenure  of  office,  he  received  and  keenly  appreciated  the  prompt 
and  cordial  cooperation  and  support  of  the  Secretary  of  War  and 
of  the  Provost  Marshal  General's  office.  While  it  is  true,  and  only 
fair  to  state,  that  Negro  men,  in  many  cases,  were  not  treated  as 
equitably  and  justly  as  white  men  in  the  application  of  the  draft 
law,  and  that  in  certain  sections  they  were  made  victims  of  many 
errors,  irregularities,  and  injustices  in  the  matter  of  classifications, 
inductions,  etc.,  yet  it  is  a  fact  that  three  Local  Draft  or  Exemption 
Boards  were  removed  from  office  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  because 
it  was  proven  that  these  Exemption  Boards  had  flagrantly  violated 
the  Selective  Service  Regulations  by  discriminating  against  Negro 
draftees;  furthermore,  it  was  ordered  that  all  wrongful  classifica- 
tions, etc.,  made  by  them  should  be  coiTected  forthw^ith.  The 
office  was  also  instnimental  in  obtaining  justice  for  a  large  number 
of  Negro  draftees  who  sent  in  countless  letters,  affidavits,  and  the 
like,  registering  their  complaints  against  the  unfair  treatment  of 
various  Draft  Boards;  and  the  victories  won  in  their  cases,  together 

51 


52  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTOKY 

with  the  wide  newspaper  publicity  connected  with  the  removal  of 
three  local  Draft  Boards  mentioned  above,  because  of  their  unfair- 
ness and  injustice  to  Negro  men,  served  as  helpful  and  warning 
precedents  and  had  a  most  salutary  effect  in  the  application  of  the 
second  and  third  draft  laws. 

In  handling  these  numerous  cases  of  alleged  discrimination 
and  injustice,  much  correspondence  passed  between  the  office  of 
the  Special  Assistant  and  the  office  of  Provost  Marshal  General 
E.  H.  Crowder  and  numerous  telephone  messages  and  personal  con- 
ferences were  required. 

Some  Typical  Correspondence 

A  small  portion  of  the  correspondence  in  typical  cases  is 
hereto  appended  that  indicate  the  efforts  made  on  behalf  of  Negro 
draftees  as  well  as  the  sympathetic  attitude  of  the  Provost  Mar- 
shal General's  office  in  its  partially  successful  effort  to  correct 
abuses  and  injustices  that  arose  in  the  application  of  the  Draft  Law 
by  various  Local  Boards; 

Provost  Marshal  General — Army. 

February  21,  1918. 
Adjutant  General, 

Jackson,  Mississippi. 

Number  4496. — Case  of  Edward  Merchant  of  Local  Board  of  Leake 
County,  serial  number  792,  has  again  been  brought  to  this  office.  Please 
direct  the  board  to  wire  at  once  if  they  did  or  did  not  grant  discharge  to 
this  registrant  prior  to  November  13,  and.  transmit  original  reply  from 
local  board  by  mail  after  wiring  contents. 

(Signed)     Crowder. 

State   of  Mississippi 

The  Adjutant  General's  Office 

Jackson,  Miss. 

February  22nd,  1918. 
FHOM:  Adjutant  General  Mississippi. 

TO:  F.  E.  Leaeh,  Govt.  Appeal  Agent,  Carthage,  Mississippi. 

SUBJECT:     Status  Edw.  Merchant. 

I  am  directed  by  the  Governor  to  inform  you  that  the  Provost  Mar- 
shal General  desires  the  Local  Board  of  Leake  County  to  advise  the 
status  of  Edward  Merchant,  therefore,  please  answer  the  following  ques- 
tions on  the  bottom  of  this  letter. 


WORK  OF  THE  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT  53 

Did  the  local  board  grant  Merchant  a  discharge  from  the  draft? 
If  a  discharge  was  granted,  was  it  issued  prior  to  November  13th? 

(Signed)     Edw.  C.  Scales, 

Brigadier  General. 


Carthage,  Miss.,  Feb.  23,  1918. 

1st.     Records  of  Local  Board  show  that  Edward  W.  Merchant  was 
discharged  by  them  on  reconsideration  of  his  claim, 
2nd.     Date  of  discharge  is  November  7,  1917. 

F.  E.  Leach, 
Govt.  Appeal  Agt.,  Leake  County,  Miss. 


War  Department,  Washington. 

February  26,  1918. 
Memorandum  for  the  Provost  Marshal-General's  Office: 

Attention  of 
Major  Roscoe  S.  Conkling,  Judge  Advocate. 

With  further  reference  to  the  case  of  Edward  Merchant,  of  Leake 
County,  Mississippi,  who  was  transferred  from  Camp  Pike,  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas,  to  Camp  Upton,  New  York,  and  to  your  memorandum  bearing 
on  his  case  which  you  forwarded  me  under  date  of  February  14th. 

I  am  venturing  to  raise  the  question  as  to  whether  or  not  this  man 
is  not  entitled  to  discharge  under  the  Selective  Service  Regulations  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  Local  Exemption  Board  of  Leake  County, 
Mississippi, — on  the  7th  day  of  November,  1917,  actually  discharged 
Edward  Merchant,  as  stated  in  affidavit  filed  by  H.  N.  McMillan,  Circuit 
Clerk,  of  said  County — notwithstanding  the  disinclination  of  the  State 
authorities  of  Mississippi  to  recommend  such  discharge. 

The  said  EdAvard  Merchant,  whose  letter  I  brought  to  your  atten- 
tion under  date  of  January  25th,  states  that  he  has  "a  mother  50  years 
old  and  feeble,  a  wife  and  baby,"  and  that  his  wife  is  pregnant  and  not 
able  to  perform  any  work  whatsoever,  that  he  is  their  only  support  and 
in  the  shape  they  are  in  it  will  be  impossible  for  the  Government  allow- 
ance to  keep  them  from  suffering.  This  man  is  also  a  productive  farmer, 
and  it  appears  from  all  the  evidence  at  hand  that  the  decision  of  the 
Local  Board  discharging  him  was  wise  and  just,  and  should  be  affirmed. 

This  man's  case  was  up  twice  before  the  Local  Board  of  Leake 
County,  Miss.,  after  which  he  was  discharged,  and  in  your  memorandum 
to  me,  of  February  9th,  you  stated:  "This  was  apparently  in  accordance 
with  Compiled  Rulings  No.  12  (m)  of  this  office,  and  it  appears  that  the 


54  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

man  (referring  to  Edward  Merchant)  should  have  been  discharged  from 
service. ' ' 

In  telegram  of  February  12th,  the  Provost  Marshal  General  (see 
last  clause  of  telegram)  asks  the  Adjutant  General  at  Jackson,  Missis- 
sippi, to  "Please  advise  Avhy  Adjutant  General's  office  recommended  that 
registrant  be  held  to  service."  I  fail  to  find,  in  the  documents  you  kindly 
transmitted  (and  which  are  hereby  returned  as  requested)  any  satisfac- 
tory reply  to  the  inquiry  above  quoted,  and  in  view  of  the  discharge 
granted  Edward  Merchant  by  his  Local  Board  (verified  by  the  affidavit  of 
the  Circuit  Court  Clerk  of  Leake  County)  it  does  seem  that  a  serious 
injustice  has,  in  some  way,  been  done  this  registrant,  inasmuch  as  the 
telegram  from  "Scales"  (presumably  the  Adjutant  General  of  Missis- 
sippi) states  "that  the  records  submitted  to  State  headquarters  did  not 
grant  an  exemption  from  the  draft."  Will  you,  therefore,  kindly  have 
a  full  investigation  of  this  case  made,  and  ascertain  if  the  action  of  the 
Local  Board  was  properly  made  known  to  the  State  authorities.  I  would 
very  much  appreciate  a  further  report  on  the  findings  in  this  case,  as 
soon  as  the  reasons  for  ignoring  or  over-ruling  the  action  of  the  Local 
Board  by  the  State  authorities  can  be  ascertained. 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.  Scott, 
Special  Assistant  to  Secretary  of  War. 

March  4,  1918. 
FROM:  Office  of  the  Provost  Marshal  General. 

TO:  The  Adjutant-General  of  the  Army. 

SUBJECT:     Case  of  Edward  Merchant,   Serial  No.   792,    Order   No.    109, 
Ofahoma,  Leake  County,  Mississippi. 

1.  Your  attention  is  respectfully  invited  to  the  case  of  Edward  Mer- 
chant, Serial  No.  792,  Order  No.  109,  Ofahoma,  Leake  County,  Mississippi, 
inducted  into  military  service  by  operation  of  the  Selective  Service  Law 
and  forAvarded  to  Camp  Pike,  thence  transferred  to  Camp  Upton,  where 
he  now  is.  As  a  matter  of  identification,  it  is  stated  that  Merchant  was 
at  Base  Hospital,  Ward  G-6,  Camp  Upton,  on  February  12th. 

2.  This  case  has  been  under  investigation  by  this  office  for  more 
than  two  months,  and  it  appears  that  on  November  7,  1917,  after  due  and 
proper  reconsideration  of  the  facts,  the  local  board  of  the  proper  juris- 
diction granted  a  discharge  on  dependency  grounds;  that  through  an 
error  or  negligence  the  man  was  not  discharged  from  service. 

3.  It  appears  that  the  regular  procedure  proscribed  by  the  regula- 
tions has  been  followed  up  to  the  point  of  transmittal  of  the  final  recom- 
mendation to  the  Camp  Commander,  and  that  through   an  error  of  the 


WOKK  OF  THP]  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT  55 

State  headquarters,  the  man  has  been  held  to  service.  It  therefore  ap- 
pears that  the  discharge  should  have  been  issued,  in  due  course,  more 
than  three   months   ago. 

4.  A  special  request  is  made  that  prompt  action  be  taken  in  this 
matter,  as  severe  hardship  and  distress  is  reported  to  this  office  from 
various  sources,  due  to  this  failure  of  the  proper  functioning  of  local 
ofjficials,  and  that  this  office  be  advised  of  the  final  disposition  of  the  case  in 
order  that  it  may  speedily  inform  the  parties  interested. 

E.   H.    Crowder, 
Provost  Marshal  General. 
By  Roscoe  S.  Conkling, 
Major,  Judge  Advocate. 


201  (Merchant,  Edward)  E.  M.     1st  Ind. 

War  Dept.,  A.  G.  0.,  March  7,  1918.— To  the  Commanding  General  77th 
Division,  Camp  Upton,  Yaphank,  N.  Y.,  for  investigation,  necessary  action 
and  report. 

By  order  of  Secretary  of  War: 

J.  W.  Riley, 
Adjutant   General. 


201   (Merchant,  Edward)     2nd  Tnd. 

Hdq.,  77th  Division,  Camp  Upton,  New  York,  March  15,  1918.— To  Com- 
manding Officer,  367th  Infantry,  for  compliance  with  the  first  indorse- 
ment hereon. 

By  Command  of  Briga-dier-General  Johnson : 

Louis  B.   Gerom, 
Capt,,  Field  Artillery,  N.  A.,  Asst.  to  the  Adjutant. 


IIIK  3rd    Ind. 

Hq.  367th  Inf.,  Camp  Upton,  N.  Y.,  19th  March  1918.— To  Comdg.  GenT, 

Camp  Upton. 

Private  Edward  ]\Ierchant  states  that  on  being  inducted  into  the 
service  at  Camp  Pike,  he  was  informed  that  his  certificate  of  discharge 
on  account  of  dependent  relatives  was  unnecessary,  as  he  was  to  be  dis- 
charged for  physical  disability.  This  not  being  done,  he  wrote  to  his 
mother  who  appeared  before  the  Board  and  obtained  the  certificate  which 
is  inclosed  herewith. 

W.  G.  Drane, 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  367th  Infantry,  Administrative  Officer. 


56  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

March  28,  1918. 
Memorandum  for  Colonel  Easby-Smith : 

In  re  Edwai'd  Merchant,  Leake  County,  Miss. 
The  discharge  of  this  registrant  was  recommended  by  this  office  in 
our  letter  of  March  4th  to  the  Adjutant  General  of  the  Army.    "We  have 
received  no  advice  that  such  discharge  has  been  granted. 

History  of  the  Case 

December  26,  1917,  registrant  wrote  Special  Assistant  Emmett  J.. 
Scott  of  the  War  Department,  stating  that  his  Local  Boaixi'  had,  by  order 
of  the  Adjutant  General  of  Mississippi,  reopened  his  case  and  granted 
his  exemption.  November  7,  1917,  his  discharge  was  refused  by  the  Camp 
Commander. 

January  25th,  Mr.  Scott  referred  the  matter  to  this  office. 

February  11th,  the  Adjutant  General  of  Mississippi  advised  that  the 
Local  Board  for  Leake  County  had  refused  to  grant  exemption  to  the 
registrant.  The  certificate  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Local  Board  showed 
that  the  discharge  of  the  registrant  was  recommended  by  his  Local 
Board  on  November  7,  1917. 

On  February  18th,  the  matter  was  presented  by  Senator  Williams. 

On  February  27th  the  Adjutant  General  advised  that  their  records 
show  that  the  discharge  of  the  registrant  was  actually  recommended  on 
November  7,  1917.  The  error  in  the  case  was  obviously  in  the  office 
of  the  Adjutant  General  of  Mississippi, 

March  4th,  discharge  recommended  by  this  office  in  letter  to  The 
Adjutant  General  of  the  Army. 

March  22nd,  memorandum  from  Mr.  Scott,  "Is  this  in  accordance 
with  the  decision  reached?" 

James  H.  Hughes,  Jr., 
1st  Lieut.,   Infantry,   R.    C, 


The  John  D.  Wray  Case 

September  3,  1918, 
Memorandum  for  Colonel  Roscoe  S.  Conkling, 
Office  of  the  Provost  Marshal-General: 
Dear  Colonel  Conkling: 

Mr.  John  D.  Wray,  who  is  a  substantial  Negro  farmer  engaged  in 
Cooperative  Extension  Work,  headquarters  A.  &  T.  College,  Greensboro, 
North  Carolina,  has  written  me  the  enclosed)  letter  concerning  certain 
definite  cases  of  alleged  injustice  to  colored  draftees  in  said  State,  and  I 


WORK  OF  THE  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT  57 

wish  to  bring  the  same  to  your  attention  for  such  investigation  as  they 
may  merit.  Sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.  Scott, 
Special  Assistant  to  Secretary  of  War. 
Enclosures. 
WHD 


September  9.  1918. 
Honorable  Emmett  J.  Scott,  _^ 

Special  Assistant,  Office  of  The  Secretary  of  War. 

Washington,  D.  C. 
Dear  Sir : — Your  letter  of  September  3,  with  enclosure  from  Mr.  John 
D.  Wray  attached,  has  been  referred  to  The  Adjutant  General  of  North 
Carolina  with  instructions  to  have  an  immediate  investigation  made  of 
the  matters  complained  of  in  Mr.  Wray's  letter  and  to  make  a  report  of 
the  results  of  said  investigation. 

Upon  receipt  of  this  report  you  will  be  further  advised. 

(Signed)     E.  II.  Crowder, 

Provost  Marshal  General. 
By  Roscoe  S.  Conkling, 
Lieut.  Colonel,  J.  A.,   Chief,   Classification  Division. 
JDL 


October  11,  1918. 
Mr.  Emmett  J.  Scott, 
Special  Assistant, 

Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
Washington,  D.  C. 
Dear  Sir: 

There  is  returned  herewith  a  letter  from  John  D.  Wray  of  Greens- 
boro, North  Carolina,  which  accompanied  your  memorandum  of  the  3rd 
ult.,  together  with  photostat  copies  of  reports  from  the  Adjutant  General 
of  North  Carolina  and  from  various  Local  Boards,  relating  to  the  cases 
of  the  several  registrants  named  in  the  complaint  filed  with  you  by 
John  D.  Wray. 

(Signed)     E.  H.  Crowdeb, 

Provost  Marshal  General. 
By  Roscoe  S.  Conkling, 
Lieut.  Colonel,  J.  A.,  Chief,  Classification  Division. 
WGdcR— gm 
Ends, 


58  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAIj  HISTORY 

War  Dept.,  P.  M.  G.  C,  September  9,  1918.— To  The  Adjutant  General, 
Raleigh,  N.  C. 

1.  Referred. 

2.  Nothing  could  be  more  harmful  to  the  Administration  of  the 
Draft  than  to  have  an  impression  prevail  that  race  discrimination  exists 
in  any  section  of  the  country. 

3.  You  are  requested,  therefore,  to  cause  an  immediate  investigation 
to  be  made  of  the  matters  complained  of  in  the  attached  letter,  and  upon 
completion  of  the  investigation,  to  make  a  full  report  to  this  office. 

4.  It  is  suggested  that,  in  making  such  investigation,  the  attached 
letter  from  I^Ir.  John  D.  Wray  be  treated  as  confidential. 

(Signed)     E.  H.  Cbovvder, 

Provost  Marshal  General. 
By  Roscoe  S.  Conkling, 
Lieut.  Colonel,  J.  A.,  Chief,  Classification  Division. 


The  following  comnmnication  is  typical  of  the  maimer  in 
which  the  author  took  up  a  number  of  matters  involving  injustice 
to  colored  workers  in  the  departmental  service  at  Washington  and 
elsewhere : 

March  21,  1918. 
Memorandum  for  Dean  F.  P.  Keppel,  3rd  Assistant  Secretary  of  War : 
Dear  Dean  Keppel : 

I  very  much  hope  it  will  be  possible  to  hold  up  the  suggestion  which 
has  been  made — to  eliminate  all  of  the  colored  messengers  who  have 
successfully  passed  the  Civil  Service  examination  for  that  grade,  and 
have  thereby  secured  their  positions  through  Civil  Service  regulations 
in  the  Procurement  Division,  Office  of  Chief  of  Ordnance,  War  Depart- 
ment, Washington,  D.  C.  Such  a  recommendation  has  been  made,  and, 
I  understand,  is  being  seriously  considered. 

It  is  highly  desirable,  in  my  judgment,  to  ameliorate  rather  than 
inflame  Negro  public  opinion  here  at  the  National  Capital  by  these 
movements  and  suggestions  of  one  kind  or  another  which  seem  to 
indicate  a  willingness  to  altogether  disregard  this  group  of  people  who 
are  striving  in  every  way  possible  to  support  our  Government. 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.   Scott, 
Special  Assistant  to  Secretary  of  War. 

Nation's  Call  to  AU  Alike 
Likewise,  in  the  Camp  Lee   (Virginia)   case,  the  Special  As- 
sistant found  hundreds  of  educated  young  colored  draftees,  many 


WOKK  OF  THE  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT  59 

of  them  college  graduates,  hailing  from  some  twenty  or  more  of 
the  leading  educational  institutions  of  our  country,  all  assigned  to 
stevedore  regiments  and  labor  battalions,  without  any  regard  for 
their  educational  or  technical  qualifications,  limited  to  the  use  of 
the  spade,  pickaxe,  and,  shovel  and  to  the  digging  of  ditches, 
trenches,  and  the  like,  instead  of  being  permitted  to  he  trained  as 
infantrymen  with  gun  and  bayonet.  In  direct  response  to  repeated 
representations  made  by  the  author,  hundreds  of  tliese  men  vrere 
transferred  to  infantry,  artillery,  and  other  units  where  they  could 
more  effectively  and  more  agreeably  serve  their  country,  and  the 
Secretary  of  "War  issued  the  following  public  statement,  which  was 
published  in  The  Official  Bulletin,  of  December  4,  1917,  indicating 
his  attitude  with  reference  to  such  discriminations: 

"War  Department, 

"Washington,  November,  30,  1917. 
"Mr.   Enunett  J.   Seott, 

"Special  Assistant,  War  Department: 

"Referi-ing  to  various  telegrams  and  letters  of  protest  received  at 
the  Department,  to  which  you  have  called  my  attention,  concerning 
certain  alleged  discriminations  against  colored  draftees,  I  wish  to  say 
that  a  full  investigation  of  the  matters  complained  of  has  been  ordered. 

"As  you  know,  it  has  been  my  policy  to  disconrage  discrimination 
against  any  persons  by  reason  of  their  race.  This  policy  has  been 
adopted  not  merely  as  an  act  of  justice  to  all  races  that  go  to  make  up 
the  American  people,  but  also  to  safeguard  the  very  institutions  which 
we  are  now  at  the  greatest  sacrifice  engaged  in  defending  and  which 
any  racial  disorders  must  endanger. 

"At  the  same  time,  there  is  no  intention  on  the  part  of  the  War 
Department  to  undertake  at  this  time  to  settle  the  so-called  race  ques- 
tion. In  this  hour  of  National  emergency  and  need  white  and  colored 
men  alike  are  being  called  to  defend  our  country's  honor.  In  the  veiy 
nature  of  the  case  some  must  fight  in  the  trenches,  while  others  must 
serve  in  other  capacities  behind  the  firing  line. 

"I  very  much  regret  what  seems  to  be  a  certain  amount  of  over- 
worked hysteria  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  complainants  who  seem  to 
think  that  only  colored  draftees  are  being  assigned  to  duty  in  Service 
Battalions,  whereas  thousands  of  white  draftees  already  have  been,  and 
more  of  them  necessarily  will  be,  assigned  to  duty  in  such  Service 
Battalions. 

"Some  of  the   complaints  or  charges  of  discrimination  seem  all  tlie 


60  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

more  unwarranted  in  view  of  the  fact  that  there  is  far  less  hazard  to 
the  life  of  the  soldier  connected  with  the  Service  Battalion  than  is  true 
in  the  case  of  the  soldier  who  faces  shot  and  shell  on  the  firing  line. 
Furthermore,  the  attitude  of  the  "War  Department  toward  colored  soldiers 
is  clearly  shown  by  the  following  facts:  More  than  626  of  the  1,250 
colored  men  who  completed  the  course  at  the  Reserve  Officers'  Training 
Camp,  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  have  been  commissioned  as  officers  in 
the  United  States  Army,  nearly  100  colored  physicians  and  surgeons  have 
received  commissions  as  officers  in  the  Medical  Reserve  Corps,  and  a  full 
fighting  force  of  30,000  colored  soldiers,  including  representatives  in 
practically  every  branch  of  military  service,  will  constitute  the  Ninety- 
second  Division,  to  be  detailed  for  duty  in  France  under  General 
Pershing. 

"The  relations  between  the  colored  and  white  men  in  the  camps 
containing  both  have  been  worked  out  on  a  very  satisfactory  basis,  and 
little  or  no  trouble  seems  likely  to  arise.  All  of  my  reports  indicate  that 
the  colored  men  are  accepting  this  as  an  opportunity  to  serve  and  not 
an  occasion  for  creating  discord  or  trouble,  and  white  men  and  officers 
are  passing  over  the  question  of  race  difference  in  a  helpful  spirit.  What 
we  need  in  this  emergency  is  the  help  of  right-thinking  people  in  the 
cities  and  towns  around  the  camps,  and  we  are  getting  that  cooperation 
so  generally  that  our  course  seems  free  from  embarrassment  if  German 
propagandists,  who  want  to  make  discord  by  stirring  up  sensitive  feel- 
ings, are  simply  not  allowed  to  do  their  work. 

"As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  colored  people  and  the  white  people  in 
this  country  have  lived  together  now  for  a  good  many  years  and  have 
established  relationships  in  the  several  parts  of  the  country  which  are 
more  or  less  well  organized  and  acquiesced  in.  Gradually  the  colored 
people  are  acquiring  education  in  the  industrial  arts,  and  are  rendering 
themselves  more  and  more  useful  in  our  civilization  and  more  and  more 
entitled  to  our  respect.  On  the  other  hand,  the  white  people  are  coming 
more  generally  to  realize  the  value  of  the  good  citizens  among  the  colored 
people  through  their  industrial  importance  and  their  eager  desire  to 
learn  and  qualify  themselves  for  usefulness  in  the  country,  and  this  has 
brought  about  a  growth  of  good  feeling,  marred,  it  is  true,  here  and  there 
by  such  incidents  as  that  at  Houston  and  that  at  East  St.  Louis,  which 
grew  out  of  sad  misunderstandings  and  were  perhaps  contributed  to, 
in  at  least  one  of  these  instances,  by  the  malicious  activities  of  people 
who  would  rejoice  to  see  any  embarrassment  come  to  us  as  a  sign  of 
weakness  against  our  enemy.  Therefore,  unrest  among  the  colored  people 
and  suspicion  of  the  Government  on  their  part  are,  by  all  means,  to  be 
discouraged  at  a  time  like  this. 


WORK  OF  THE  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT  61 

"We  are  bending  all  our  energies  to  the  building  up  of  an  Army 
to  defeat  the  enemy  of  democracy  and  freedom,  and  the  Army  we  are 
building  contains  both  white  and  colored  men.  We  are  expecting  that 
they  will  all  do  their  duty,  and  when  they  have  done  it  they  will  be 
alike  entitled  to  the  gratitude  of  their  country. 

(Signed)     "Newton  D.  Baker, 

"Secretary  of  War." 

Cases  of  Unfair  Treatment 

Every  case  of  racial  discrimination  or  injustice  that  was 
brought  to  official  attention,  involving  either  Negro  draftees  and 
soldiers  or  Negro  war  workers  and  civilians,  was  taken  up  and 
brought  to  the  attention  of  the  proper  officials  of  the  Government, 
including  the  War  and  other  Departments,  the  Military  Intelli- 
gence Bureau,  and  in  some  cases  the  Department  of  Justice.  The 
Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War  regarded  all  such 
cases  of  unfair  treatment  as  calculated  inevitably  to  affect  the 
morale  of  the  Negro  people,  the  maintenance  of  which  was  such 
an  essential  factor  in  the  winning  of  the  war. 

The  official  files  of  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  Army,  which 
is  the  administrative  branch  of  the  War  Department,  as  well  as 
the  files  of  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  contain  scores  and 
scores  of  memoranda  which  the  Special  Assistant  has  submitted 
in  the  interest  of  Negro  soldiers,  Negro  chaplains  and  Negro  offi- 
cers in  the  National  Army,  now  kno^vn  as  **The  Army  of  the 
United  States."  They  reveal  a  strenuous  effort  to  have  the  worth 
of  the  Negro  as  a  soldier  fitly  recognized  by  the  formation  of  com- 
batant Negro  units  in  addition  to  the  noncombatant  units,  known 
as  Stevedore  and  Labor  battalions  and  the  like,  to  which  latter 
class  of  military  service  Negro  soldiers,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
war  and  regardless  of  their  educational  and  special  qualifications, 
seemed  to  be  disproportionately  assigned,  if  not  completely  doomed. 
An  effort  in  behalf  of  the  proper  training  and  increased  utilization 
of  Negro  men  as  infantry  and  artillery  officers,  as  medical  officers, 
as  chaplains,  and  of  colored  w^omen  as  army  nurses  and  the  like, 
likewise,  in  part,  succeeded  because  it  was  worthy  in  itself  and 
received  the  hearty,  intelligent,  and  continuous  support  of  prac- 
tically the  entire  Negro  press  of  America,  to  whom  the  Special 
Assistant  to  the  Secretaiy  of  War  owes  so  much  personally  aa 


62  SCOTT'S  OFFJCIAL  HISTORY 

well  as  officially  for  the  most  loyal  and  valuable  help  rendered 
during  his  tenure  of  office  in  the  War  Department. 

To  any  one  who  is  acquainted  with  the  military  status  of  the 
American  Negro  before  the  war  with  Germany,  and  who  is  familiar 
with  the  organized  and  determined  efforts  that  had  to  be  put 
forth  to  have  the  merits  and  rights  of  Negro  soldiers  suitably 
recognized,  there  must  come  the  conviction  that  the  privileges, 
opportunities,  and  honors  accorded  him  during  the  war  were,  in 
spite  of  some  discouragement,  not  merely  incidental  or  accidental; 
but  were  due,  in  some  measure  at  least,  to  the  fact  that  the  Negro 
soldiers  were  permitted  to  have  a  ''friend  at  court"  who  was 
backed  up  by  the  best  thought  and  sentiment  of  the  Negro  race 
and  by  influential  white  friends  of  that  race  in  formulating  and 
carrying  forward  a  constructive  program  that  has  given  to  them 
quite  a  number  of  military  and  other  advantages  never  before 
enjoyed  in  the  history  of  our  country.  ^Tiile  the  Special  Assistant 
to  the  Secretary  of  War  would  not  by  any  means  exaggerate  the 
importance  of  the  office  which  he  has  been  holding  in  the  War 
Department,  nor  assume  any  credit  which  docs  not  rightfully 
belong  to  it,  yet  it  is  highly  significant  and  proper  to  note  the 
contrast  between  the  condition  of  the  Negro  in  the  United  States 
at  the  beginning  of  the  war  and  the  military  opportunities  and 
advantages  which  our  race  acquired  during  the  progress  of  the 
recent  world-wide  conflict. 

Before  the  European  war  the  Negro  was  represented  in  only 
two  branches  of  the  United  States  Army,  namely,  the  Ninth  and 
Tenth  Cavalry,  and  the  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty-fifth  Infantry 
units,  comprising  all  told  less  than  10,000  men,  and  less  than  a 
dozen  Negro  officers;  while  during  the  war,  approximately  twelve 
hundred  (1200)  Negro  officers  were  admitted  into  practically  every 
branch  of  military  service,  including  Field  Artillery,  Coast  Artil- 
lery, Cavalry,  Infantry,  Engineer  Corps,  Signal  Corps  (radio  or 
wireless  telegraphy,  etc.),  Medical  Corps  (physici^s,  surgeons, 
dentists,  etc.).  Hospital  and  Ambulance  Corps,  Veterinary  Corps, 
Sanitary  and  Ammunition  Trains,  Stevedore  Regiments,  Labor  Bat- 
talions, Depot  Brigades,  and  quite  a  number  of  them  served  as 
Regimental  Clerks,  Surveyors,  Draftsmen,  Auto  Repairers,  Motor 
Truck  Operators,  several  Regimental  Adjutants,  one  or  more  Judge 


WORK  OF  THP]  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT  63 

Advocates  and  a  number  of  Negro  Military  Intelligence  Officers, 
Negro  chemists,  Negro  mechanics ;— indeed,  the  Negro  served  in 
nearly  every  branch  of  the  Army  with  the  exception  of  the  Air  Sec- 
tion of  the  Aviation  Corps  (operating  airplanes,  etc.). 

These  increased  opportunities  for  Negro  men  and  officers 
were  not  a  matter  of  chance,  for  they  would  not  have  been  possible 
if  the  ''fight  for  a  chance  to  fight  as  Negro  combat  units"  had  not 
been  successful.  The  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
made  a  systematic  effort  to  mobilize  college-trained  Negro  men  for 
Artilleiy  and  other  technical  branches  of  military  sei-vice,  including 
the  317th  Engineer  Regiment,  the  325th  Field  Signal  Battalion, 
and  as  Negro  officers  for  the  92nd  Division,  etc.,  realizing,  as  he 
did,  the  imperative  necessity  of  obtaining  the  very  best  material 
his  race  could  afford  in  trying  out  this  most  important,  this  his- 
toric, and  now  successful  military  experiment.  Scores  of  tech- 
nically qualified  young  men  were  enabled  to  consummate  their 
desire  to  render  that  particular  service  in  the  Army  for  which  they 
were  best  fitted  by  talent  and  special  training. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  important  and  far-reaching  projects 
developed  by  the  War  Department  was  the  provision  for  the  train- 
ing of  nearly  20,000  young  colored  men  in  military  science  and 
tactics,  at  Govermnent  expense,  in  conjunction  with  their  general 
education,  through  Students'  Army  Training  Corps  and  Vocational 
Detachments,  established  in  some  twenty  or  more  of  the  leading 
colored  schools,  institutes,  colleges,  and  universities  of  the  United 
States.  Similar  provision  has  also  since  been  made  for  the  forma- 
tion of  Reserve  Officers'  Training  Corps  for  colored  men  in  a 
number  of  colored  educational  institutions,  North  and  South. 

Another  useful  function  performed  by  the  Special  Assistant  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  one  which  has  afforded  him  as  much 
genuine  satisfaction  as  any  other  service  he  has  rendered  in  the 
War  Department,  is  the  matter  of  looking  after  hundreds,  if  not 
thousands  of  cases  relating  to  voluntary  and  compulsory  allotments, 
extra  Government  allowances  and  compensations,  war  risk  insur- 
ance, and  the  like,  due  to  the  families  and  dependents  of  enlisted 
men  and  of  deceased  Negro  soldiers.  The  Special  Assistant  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  has  personally  looked  after  or  handled  through 
his  office  many  of  these  cases  pending  before  the  Bureau  of  War 


64  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Risk  Insurance  at  Washington,  believing  that  one  of  the  best 
services  he  could  render  the  Negro  soldier  was  to  protect  the 
financial  interests  of  his  wife,  his  little  ones,  or  other  dependents. 

Training  of  Colored  Officers 

Along  with  many  others  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary 
of  War  fought  for  the  establishment  of  the  Fort  Des  Moines  Re- 
serve Officers'  Training  Camp  for  Negro  officers;  likewise,  after 
his  appointment  in  the  War  Department,  he  used  every  argument 
and  resource  at  his  command  to  induce  the  War  Department  to 
make  adequate  and  equal  provision  for  the  training  of  Negro  officers 
in  connection  with  the  various  camps  and  cantonments  where  the 
National  Army  was  being  developed.  Never  before  in  the  history 
of  our  country  did  we  have  a  Special  Officers'  Training  Camp  for 
the  training  of  Negro  officers,  to  serve  in  the  United  States  Army, 
like  the  one  which  was  conducted  by  Army  officers  at  Fort  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  from  June  15  to  October  15,  1917,  where  nearly  700 
Negro  officers  were  commissioned;  or  like  the  Third,  Fourth  and 
Fifth  Series  of  Reserve  Officers'  Training  Camps  that  were  later 
conducted  for  the  benefit  of  enlisted  men,  Negroes  and  whites 
alike,  in  conjunction  with  the  National  Army  camps  and  canton- 
ments throughout  the  country. 

The  admission  of  Negro  officers  into  Field  Artillery  units  was 
only  secured  after  a  struggle.  It  seemed  difficult  to  convince  cer- 
tain subordinate  members  of  Secretary  Baker's  staif  that  Negro 
men  possessed  the  mentality  and  college  training  considered  as  a 
necessary  prerequisite  to  being  trained  as  Field  Artillery  officers, 
but  with  the  creation  of  the  349th,  350th  and  351st  Field  Artillery 
regiments  (all  Negro  organizations)  the  *4ce  was  broken"  and 
quite  a  number  of  Negro  soldiers,  hailing  from  some  of  the  leading 
colleges  and  universities  of  America,  were  trained  as  artillery 
officers. 

The  retirement  of  Colonel  Charles  Young  from  active  service 
occasioned  much  feeling  among  the  colored  people.  This  is  referred 
to  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Nothing  gave  the  Special  Assistant 
to  the  Secretary  of  War  greater  pleasure  than  to  cooperate  with  the 
friends  of  Colonel  Young  to  bring  about  his  call  to  active  duty 
again   through  the   following  order: 


Above — "The  Raw  Material  of  Soldiers."      Negroes  drawn  in  the  selective  draft  arriving  at  the 

cantonment.      Compare    this    photograph    with    the    one    below. 

Below — "Six    Months   Later."      American    Negro   troops   marching   along   a   French    road   toward 

the   front.      Six   months   before   this   picture    was   taken   they    were    undrilled    civilians. 


Above — Arrival   of  a  Bunch  of  the    Chicago   Boys.  .    . 

Below— Hiinny  return  of  (the  old  15th  Inf.)  New  York's  famous  colored  regiment;  receiymg 
their  shares  of  cigarettes  and  chocolate  handed  out  to  the  boys  at  the  chicken  dinner  given 
them   at   71st  Regiment  Armory. 


Above- 


-HOW  our  soldiers  C  HO  .men^^^^  ''f.'VAS^.lZTllrS:  '^^     .     tsoldier 

Belou-U  is   said   t?aYX  Nl^-7eca|Yof\is   constant   c^ee^^^ 

?ei^|\1[e^!^^o^st"^.Yal'o^us'Vo^•r/^^\rttel;Sp^^^^^^^^  P"-  -"  <^^ 

the  company. 


■^N 


Above-One  of  the  big  Y.  M.  C.  A.  tents  near  the  front  in  France.    The  "Y"  gave  the  same  service 


fieioL-FrS  ColSI  fr^op's'^C  ^e'n^e^TeSr^eing  drilled  in  use  of  rifle  grenades  on  the  Marne. 


Above — Baptism  for  Army  Mtn.      Colored   troops  of  the  U.   S.   Army   receiving  Holy    Baptism   at 

the    Norcross    Rifle    Range,    Camp    Gordon,    Ga. 
Below — Part  of  Squadron  "A,"   351st  Field  Artillery,  colored  troops  on  the  Transport   Louisville. 
These  men  are  mostly  from  Pennsylvania. 


Above— Group    of    Colored    Soldiers    of    the    369th    Infantry    as    They    Returned    to    New    Yorlc 
Below— The   Negro   regiments    have   proven  their   fighting   worth.      During   the   Franco-AnTeTican 

offensive   several   detachments   rendered   great   service   for   Uncle   Sam.      Photo   trom    r  ranee 

shows  group  of  officers  of  division  known  as  the  "Buffaloes." 


WORK  OF  THE  SPECIAL  ASSISTANT  >  65 

WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Adjutant  General's  Office. 

Washington,  Nov.  H,  1918. 
FROM:  The  Adjutant  General  of  the  Army. 

TO:  Col.  Charles  Young,  U.  S.  Army  (retired), 

19121/2   Fourteenth   St.,   N.  W., 
Washington,  D.  C. 
SUBJECT:     Assignment. 

The  Secretary  directs  as  necessary  in  the  military  service  that  you 
proceed  to  Camp  Grant,  Rockford,  Illinois,  and  report  in  person  to  the 
Commanding  General  of  that  camp  for  assignment  to  duty  in  connection 
with  the  Colored  Development  Battalions  at  Camp  Grant. 

William  Kelly,  Jr., 

Adjutant   Generpl. 

One  of  the  most  important  functions  of  the  office  of  the  Special 
Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War  was  to  help  maintain  a  healthy 
morale  among  Negro  soldiers  and  the  twelve  million  colored  Amer- 
icans, whose  continued  loyalty  was  so  severely  tried  during  the 
war.  In  cooperation  with  the  Committee  on  Public  Information,  he 
conducted  a  systematic  campaign  of  publicity  through  the  Negro 
press,  the  Official  Bulletin,  leading  white  newspapers  and  maga- 
zines, etc.,  which  kept  the  colored  people  and  the  country  at  large 
fully  informed  as  to  the  aims  and  policies  of  the  Government  and 
especially  as  to  the  attitude  of  the  War  Department  with  reference 
to  opportunities  offered  and  treatment  accorded  colored  draftees 
and  soldiers.  This  campaign  did  much  to  reassure  the  colored 
soldiers,  to  maintain  the  morale  of  colored  Americans  generally, 
and  to  vitalize  their  efforts  toward  winning  the  war. 

While  it  was  not  possible  to  accomplish  even  a  small  jDropor- 
tion  of  favorable  results  in  all  of  the  matters  which  arose;  and 
while  in  many  instances  the  full  measure  of  justice  was  not  ac- 
corded Negro  soldiers,  sailors,  and  civilians,  it  yet  remains  a  fact 
that  during  the  whole  period  of  the  war  the  office  of  Special  Assist- 
ant continued  to  urge  a  program  of  One  Hundred  Per  Cent 
Americanism,  it  sought  to  obtain  for  them  the  fullest  measure  of 
opportunity  possible  and  to  promote  friendly  feelings  between 
white  and  colored  citizens  of  the  country,  based  upon  the  highest 
ideals  of  justice  and  fair  play. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  NATIONAL  ARMY 

Selective  Service  Law  the  Most  Complete  Recognition  of  the  Citi- 
zenship of  the  Negro,  North  and  South — All  the  Duties  and 
Responsibilities  of  Patriots  Imposed  Upon  the  Negro  hy  the 
Draft  Act — Tribute  hy  the  Provost  Marshal  General  to  the 
Colored  Soldier — Assignment  of  Negro  Draftees  to  Canton- 
ments. 

On  May  18,  1917,  Congress  enacted  what  came  to  be  known 
as  the  Selective  Service  law.  As  stated  in  the  First  Report  of  the 
Provost  Marshal  General,  "It  was  unequivocal  in  its  terms.  It 
boldly  recited  the  military  obligations  of  citizenship.  It  vested  the 
President  with  the  plenary  power  of  prescribing  regulations  which 
should  strike  a  balance  between  industrial  and  economical  need  on 
the  one  hand  and  the  military  need  on  the  other.  It  provided  that 
men  could  be  summoned  for  service  in  the  place  in  which  it  would 
best  suit  the  common  good  to  call  them.  It  was  a  measure  of  un- 
doubted significance  and  power  and  flung  a  fair  challenge  at  the 
feet  of  those  doubters  who  did  not  believe  that  the  country  would 
respond  to  a  draft  upon  the  man-power  of  the  republic." 

It  is  of  moment  to  state  that  on  June  5,  Registration  Day, 
a  number  of  representative  colored  citizens  served  as  Selective 
Service  registrars  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  Provost  Marshal 
General.  There  was  complaint,  however,  that  so  small  a  number  of 
colored  men  were  permitted  to  serve  as  Selective  Service  registrars, 
considering  the  large  number  of  colored  men  who  were  called  upon 
to  register  under  the  draft. 

Under  the  first  selective  draft  9,586,508  men  between  the  ages 
of  21  and  31  were  registered;  of  this  number  8,848,882  were  whites 
and  737,626  were  colored.  Thus  it  appears  that  the  total  registra- 
tion of  citizens  of  African  descent  was  nearly  eight  jDer  cent  of 
the  entire  (racially  composite)  registration.  Of  the  number  of 
white  and  colored  draftees  who  were  certified  for  service,  official 

66 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  NATIONAL  ARMY  67 

figures  show  that,  in  the  first  draft,  75,697  colored  men,  or  36.23  pei 
cent  of  the  total  number  were  called  to  the  colors  and  served  as 
soldiers;  while  711,213,  or  24.75  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of 
white  men  certified  were  called  to  the  colors  and  served  as  soldiers. 
On  this  particular  point  I  quote  directly  from  Provost  Marshal 
General  Crowder's   First  Report: 

''Thus  it  appears  that  out  of  every  100  colored  citizens  called 
36  were  certified  for  service  and  64  were  rejected,  exempted  or 
discharged;  whereas  out  of  every  100  whites  called  25  were  certi- 
fied for  service  and  75  were  rejected,  exempted,  or  discharged." 

Further  drafts  during  the  course  of  the  war  led  to  increas- 
ingly large  numbers  of  whites  being  called  to  the  colors,  and  of 
course  increasingly  large  numbers  of  colored  selectmen  as  well. 
Nineteen  months  brought  the  total  enrollment  for  service  up  to 
twenty-four  million  (24,000,000),  including  those  who  were  en- 
rolled under  subsequent  calls,  which  were  put  into  operation  as 
the  result  of  Congressional  legislation,  which  aftei'wards  enrolled 
even  those  men  who  reached  the  age  of  45  years. 

Under  the  law,  as  has  been  stated,  no  difference  was  made  as 
between  white  and  colored  citizens.  The  citizenship  of  the  Negro 
as  provided  in  the  Thirteenth  Amendment  to  the  Constitution  was 
fully  recognized;  color  and  race  were  not  material,  and  the  regula- 
tions for  the  purpose  of  classification  did  not  exempt  the  Negro.  A 
comparison  of  white  and  colored  registration  at  the  end  of  the  war 
discloses  the  following  facts:  That  between  June  5,  1917,  and 
September  12,  1918,  there  were  registered  21,489,470  whites  and 
2,290,527  Negroes,  the  proportion  of  colored  registrants  to  the  whole 
being  9.63  per  cent.  The  figures  above,  however,  do  not  include 
some  300,000  additional  registrants  during  September  and  October. 

The  Mobilization  Division  of  the  Provost  Marshal  General's 
Office  furnished  the  following  table  (December  16,  1918),  showing 
the  total  number  of  white  and  colored  men  called  under  the  Selective 
Service  Draft  Regulations  during  the  entire  war  as  shown  by  States : 

State  White  Colored 

Alabama    36,172  25,674 

Arizona    8,308  77 

Arkansas     33,217  17,544 

California    71,026  919 


68  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Colorado    24,178  371 

Connecticut     33,802  941 

Delaware    3,879  1,365 

District  of  Columbia 6,576  4,000 

Florida   12,769  12,904 

Georgia     34,748  34,303 

Idaho    13,222  95 

Illinois    178,036  6,754 

Indiana     70,701  4,579 

Iowa    70,899  929 

Kansas    43,761  2,127 

Kentucky 48,977  11,320 

Louisiana  29,230  28,711 

Maine 16,415  50 

Maryland     26,211  9,212 

Massachusetts  82,765  1,200 

Michigan    ' 99,027  2,395 

Minnesota    76,406  511 

Mississippi 21,182  24,056 

Missouri     67,920  9,219 

Montana 27,965  198 

Nebraska    31,520  642 

Nevada     3,227  26 

New  Hampshire     9,174  27 

New  Jersey     69,974  4,863 

New  Mexico    9,082  51 

New  York   260,759  6,193 

North  Carolina    40,740  20,082 

North  Dakota     19,087  87 

Ohio    139,695  7,861 

Oklahoma    61,287  5,694 

Oregon    18,182  68 

Pennsylvania    197,336  15,392 

Rhode  Island    11,785  291 

South  Carolina     19,909  25,798 

South  Dakota     22,132  62 

Tennessee     44,405  17,774 

Texas    91,583  31,506 

Utah    11,631  77 

Vermont     7,294  22 

Virginia    37,295  23,541 


THE  NEGRO  TN  THE  NATIONAL  ARMY  09 

Washington     30,912  173 

West  Virginia    41,362  5,492 

Wisconsin    75,261  224 

Wyoming  8,095  95 

Alaska    1,957  5 

Hawaii    5,523                  

Porto  Rico 15,787                 

Totals   2,442,586  367,710 

Of  the  colored  men  who  were  classified,  51.65  per  cent  were  put 
in  Class  I,  while  of  the  whites  between  the  same  dates  who  were 
registered  32.53  per  cent  were  put  in  Class  I. 

The  Provost  Marshal  General  at  some  length  offers  an  explana- 
tion of  the  high  figures  for  colored  registrants  in  Class  I,  but  the 
essential  fact  stands  that  under  the  Selective  Service  Regulations 
51.65  per  cent  of  the  colored  registration  was  placed  in  Class  I, 
while  only  32.53  per  cent  of  the  whites  were  so  classified.  The  Pro- 
vost Marshal  General  in  his  Second  Annual  Report  to  the  Secretary 
of  War  discusses  ''The  Negro  in  Relation  to  the  Draft."  Officially 
he  states: 

''The  part  that  has  been  played  by  the  Negro  in  the  great 
world  drama  upon  which  the  curtain  is  now  about  to  fall  is  but  another 
proof  of  the  complete  unity  of  the  various  elements  that  go  to  make 
up  this  great  Nation.  Passing  through  the  sad  and  rigorous  expe- 
rience of  slavery ;  ushered  into  a  sphere  of  civil  and  political  activity 
where  he  was  to  match  his  endeavors  with  those  of  his  former 
masters  still  embittered  by  defeat,  gradually  working  his  way  toward 
the  achievement  of  success  that  would  enable  both  him  and  the  world 
to  justify  his  new  life  of  freedom ;  surrounded  for  over  half  a  century 
of  his  new  life  by  the  spectre  of  that  slavedom  through  which  he  had 
for  centuries  past  laboriously  toiled;  met  continuously  by  the  pre- 
judice born  of  tradition ;  still  the  slave,  to  a  large  extent,  of  super- 
stition fed  by  ignorance — in  the  light  of  this  history,  some  doubt  was 
felt  and  expressed,  by  the  best  friends  of  the  Negro,  when  the  call 
came  for  a  draft  upon  the  man-power  of  the  Nation,  whether  he 
would  possess  sufficient  stamina  to  measure  up  to  the  full  duty  of 
citizenship,  and  would  give  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  that  had  guar- 
anteed for  him  the  same  liberty  now  sought  for  all  nations  and  all 


70  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

races,  the  response  that  was  its  due.  And,  on  the  part  of  many  of 
the  leaders  of  the  Negro  race,  there  was  apprehension  that  the  sense 
of  fair  play  and  fair  deahng,  which  is  so  essentially  an  American 
characteristic,  would  not,  nay  could  not,  in  a  country  of  such  diver- 
sified views,  with  sectional  feeling  still  slumbering  but  not  dead,  be 
meted  out  to  the  members  of  the  colored  race. 

**How  groundless  such  fears,  how  ill  considered  such  doubts, 
may  be  seen  from  the  statistical  record  of  the  draft  with  relation  to 
the  Negro.  His  race  furnished  its  quota,  and  uncomplainingly,  yes, 
cheerfully.  History,  indeed,  will  be  unable  to  record  the  fullness 
of  his  spirit  in  the  war,  for  the  reason  that  opportunities  for  enlist- 
ment were  not  opened  to  him  to  the  same  extent  as  to  the  whites. 
But  enough  can  be  gathered  from  the  records  to  show  that  he  was 
filled  vnth  the  same  feehng  of  patriotism,  the  same  martial  spirit, 
that  fired  his  white  fellow  cifizen  in  the  cause  for  world  freedom. 

No  Discrimination  Shown 

''As  a  general  rule,  he  was  fair  in  his  dealings  with  draft 
officials;  and  in  the  majority  of  cases,  having  the  assistance  of  his 
white  employers,  he  was  able  to  present  fairly  such  claims  for  defer- 
ment or  discharge  as  he  may  have  had,  for  the  consideration  of  the 
various  draft  boards.  In  consequence,  there  appears  to  have  been 
no  racial  discrimination  made  in  the  determination  of  his  claims. 
Indeed,  the  proportion  of  claims  granted  to  claims  filed  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Negro  race  compares  favorably  with  the  proportion  of 
claims  granted  to  members  of  the  white  race. 

"That  the  men  of  the  colored  race  were  as  ready  to  serve  as  their 
white  neighbors  is  amply  proved  by  the  reports  from  the  local 
boards.  A  Pennsylvania  board;  remarking  upon  the  eagerness  of 
its  colored  registrants  to  be  inducted,  illustrated  this  by  the  action 
of  one  registrant,  who,  upon  learning  that  his  employer  had  had 
him  placed  upon  the  Emergency  fleet  list,  quit  his  job.  Another 
registrant,  who  was  believed  by  the  board  to  be  above  draft  age, 
insisted  that  he  was  not,  and,  in  stating  that  he  was  not  married, 
explained  that  he  'wanted  only  one  war  at  a  time.' 

General  Crowdcr  requested  a  statement  as  to  the  cooperation 
sho^vn  the  office  of  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
by  the  Provost  Marshal  General's  office  in  the  matter  of  fjclective 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  NATIONAL  ARMY  71 

service  administration  as  it  affected  the  Negro  people,  especially  in 
reference  to  complaints  which  were  from  time  to  time  received  from 
his  office.  He  quotes  in  his  Report  the  following  extract  from  a 
memorandum  written  to  him  by  the  Special.  Assistant  under  date  of 
December  12,  1918 : 

*'  ^Throughout  my  tenure  here  I  have  keenly  appreciated  the 
prompt  and  cordial  co-operation  of  the  Provost  Marshal  General's 
office  with  that  particular  section  of  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of 
War  especially  referred  to  herein.  The  Provost  Marshal  General's 
office  has  carefully  investigated  and  has  furnished  full  and  complete 
reports  in  each  and  every  complaint  or  case  referred  to  it  for  atten- 
tion, involving  discrimination,  race  prejudice,  erroneous  classifi- 
cation of  draftees,  etc.,  and  has  rectified  these  complaints  whenever 
it  was  found,  upon  investigation,  that  there  was  just  ground  for  the 
same.  Especially  in  the  matter  of  applying  and  carrying  out  the 
Selective  Service  Regulations,  the  Provost  Marshal  General's  Office 
has  kept  a  watchful  eye  upon  certain  local  exemption  boards  which 
seemed  disinclined  to  treat  Negro  draftees  on  the  same  basis  as 
other  Americans  subject  to  the  draft  law.  It  is  an  actual  fact  that 
in  a  number  of  instances,  where  flagrant  violations  have  occurred 
in  the  application  of  the  draft  law  to  Negro  men  in  certain  sections 
of  the  country,  local  exemption  boards  have  been  removed  bodily 
and  new  boards  have  been  appointed  to  supplant  them.  In  several 
instances  these  boards  so  appointed  have  been  ordered  by  the  Pro- 
vost Marshal  General  to  reclassify  colored  men  who  had  been  unlaw- 
fully conscripted  into  the  Army  or  who  had  been  wrongfully  classi- 
fied; as  a  result  of  this  action  hundreds  of  colored  men  have  had 
their  complaints  remedied  and  have  been  properly  reclassified.' 

The  Special  Assistant  also  ventured  in  the  same  memorandum 
which  Gen.  Crowder  quotes,  to  say: 

*'  ^In  a  word,  I  believe  that  the  Negro's  participation  in  the  war, 
his  eagerness  to  serve,  and  his  great  courage  and  demonstrated 
valor  across  the  seas,  have  given  him  a  new  i(j[ea  of  Americanism 
and  like^\dse  have  given  to  the  white  people  of  our  country  a  new 
idea  of  his  citizenship,  his  real  character  and  capabiHties,  and  his 
100  per  cent  Americanism.  Incidentally,  the  Negro  has  been  helped 
in  many  ways,  physically  and  mentally  and  has  been  made  into  an 
even  more  satisfactory  asset  to  the  Nation.'  " 


72  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

A  Problem  for  the  War  Department 

In  view  of  the  restiveness  which  obtained  in  the  South  with 
reference  to  sending  colored  soldiers  into  the  training  camps  an 
acnte  problem  was  presented  to  the  War  Department.  Toward  the 
latter  part  of  August,  1917,  a  conference  was  held  to  discuss  this 
question.  It  was  attended  by  a  number  of  educators  who  were  in 
Washington  for  the  purpose  of  being  present  at  an  Educational 
Conference  which  had  been  called  by  Hon.  P.  P.  Claxton,  United 
States  Commissioner  of  Education,  an  appointment  having  been 
made  with  the  Secretary  of  War,  at  which  conference  the  whole 
question  was  discussed  at  some  length.  Present  were  Mr.  George 
Foster  Peabody,  New  York,  philanthropist  and  unfaltering  friend 
of  the  Negro;  Mr.  Oswald  Garrison  Villard,  then  editor  and  owner 
of  the  New  Y^ork  Evening  Post;  Dr.  T.  H.  Harris,  State  Superin- 
tendent of  Education  for  Louisiana;  Dr.  Thomas  Jesse  Jones  of 
the  Phelps-Stokes  Fund  Foundation;  and  such  prominent  colored 
men  as  Dr.  Robert  R.  Moton,  Principal  of  the  Tuskegee  Normal  and 
Industrial  Institute;  Dr.  John  Hope,  President  of  Morehouse  Col- 
lege; Bishop  George  W.  Clinton  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Z.  Church,  and  a 
number  of  others,  including  the  author.  This  conference  Avas  fol- 
lowed by  another  which  was  held  by  Mr.  Peabody,  Dr.  Moton,  and 
the  author,  with  Messrs.  Walter  Lippman  and  Felix  Frankfurter, 
who  were  advising  the  Secretary  of  War  at  that  time  in  matters 
relating  to  the  colored  people.  At  this  latter  conference  it  was  sub- 
stantially agreed  that  while  the  South  might  object  to  having  col- 
ored men  from  Northern  states  sent  into  the  various  camps  and 
cantonments  of  the  South,  it  could  not  well  refuse  an  acceptance 
of  the  principle  of  having  such  colored  selectmen  as  might  be  called 
in  such  states  trained  in  the  cantonments  of  the  states  in  which 
they  lived. 

Considerable  hardship  followed,  however,  as  the  result  of  this 
principle ;  as,  for  instance,  while  Alabama  has  a  large  colored  popu- 
lation, colored  soldiers  were  not  sent  to  Camp  Sheridan,  Alabama, 
where  a  camp  was  located,  but  instead  were  sent  to  Iowa,  because 
Camp  Sheridan  was  not  a  cantonment  but  a  camp  at  which  the  Ohio 
National  Guardsmen  were  trained, — the  colored  battalion  from  Ohio 
for  a  while,  along  with  the  whites;  but  the  colored  selectmen  from 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  NATIONAL  ARMY  73 

Alabama  could  not  be  trained  at  this  camp  under  tlie  program 
agreed  upon.  Camp  Gordon,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  however,  was  called  upon 
to  accept  colored  registrants  from  Georgia  because  it  was  a  canton- 
ment rather  than  a  camp,  and  the  same  thing  was  true  of  Camp 
Jackson,  South  Carolina,  to  which  colored  selectmen  of  South 
Carolina  were  assigned. 

The  first  call  for  colored  selectmen  was  under  date  of  Septem- 
ber 22,  1917,  the  men  being  distributed  as  follows: 

Approximately 

To  Camp  Devens,  Ayer,  Mass.,  its  own  colored  quota 600 

To  Camp  Upton,  Yaphank,  L.  I.,  New  York,  its  o\vn  colored  quota  5,800 
To  Camp  Dix,    Wrightstown,   N.   J.,  its   own   colored   quota   and 

Florida  colored  quota 4,500 

To  Camp  Meade,  Annapolis  Junction,  Md.,  its  own  colored  quota 

and  Tennessee   colored  quota 6,100 

To  Camp  Lee,  Petersburg,  Va.,  its  own  colored  quota 6,300 

To  Camp  Sherman,  Chillicothc,  Ohio,  its  own  colored  quota,  and 

Oklahoma    colored   quota 3,000 

To  Camp  Jackson,  Columbia,  S.  C,  its  own  colored  quota 5,900 

To  Camp  Gordon,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  its  own  colored  quota 9,000 

To  Camp  Pike,    Little    Rock,   Ark.,   its    own   colored    quota,   and 

Louisiana  colored  quota _^ .-- 9,600 

To  Camp  Custer,  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  its  ow^j^  colored  quota 600 

To  Camp  Grant,  Rockfoixl,  111.,  its  o^;Yi  colored  quota  and  North 

Carolina  colored  quota ,  /^ 7,200 

To  Camp  Taylor,  Louisville,  I^y,^  jts  own  colored  quota 3,000 

To  Camp  Dodge,    Des    Mo'^^eg^   la.,    its    own    colored   quota    and 

Alabama  colored  qi^o'ta 6,600 

To  Camp  Funston,   F^   Riley,   Kas.,   its    own   colored   quota   and 

Mississippi  colrJ.e^  q^ota 8>300 

To  Camp  Travis,  'jp^.  Sam  Houston,  Texas,  its  ovm  colored  quota. .  6,500 

To  Camp  Lewis. f  Washington,  D.  C,  its  own  colored  quota 400 

r  ■ 

Ton^l 83,400 

The  ef(^^,Q^  ^f  ^j^g  above  distribution  was  in  many  cases  to  throw, 
in  the  beg-in^ing,  the  colored  selectmen  of  Georgia,  for  instance, 
with  sonify  30,000  selectmen  from  tbe  North  and  East;  the  same 
thing  wa^',  ^j^q  ^^  Camp  Pike,  Arkansas,  to  which  some  30,000 
Western    selectmen  were  first   sent.     Under  this  program  it  was 


74  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

proved  that  colored  and  white  men  could  be  trained  together  in 
Southern  camps  without  friction.  Long  before  the  nineteen  months 
of  the  war  had  ended,  colored  selectmen  were  being  sent  into  prac- 
tically every  camp  in  the  South,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  congratulation 
to  both  races  that  no  such  friction  and  trouble  followed  as  had  been 
feared  beforehand. 

The  draft  revealed  the  fact  that  the  Negro  could  stand  the  high 
physical  tests  of  the  Selective  Service  Regulations,  a  smaller  pro- 
portion of  his  number  proportionately  being  rejected  than  was  true 
of  the  rest  of  the  composite  American  population.  Americans 
generally  were  more  or  less  amazed  to  find  that  the  Negro  not  only 
stood  up  physically,  but  that  in  many  important  respects  where 
he  was  supposed  to  be  "off  color"  his  record  stood  the  test. 


CHAPTER  VI 
A  CRITICAL  SITUATION  IN  THE  CAMPS 

Race  Problems  that  Had  to  be  Solved — Fear  of  the  Southern  Whites 
that  Trouble  would  Follow  the  Training  of  Negro  Troops  in 
the  South — Situation  Complicated  by  the  H oust 07i  Riot — Protest 
of  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina — Dr.  Scott  Called  to  Spartan- 
burg, S.  C,  to  Allay  Trouble  There — Iloiv  the  Negro  Soldier 
Finally  Won  the  Respect  and  Confidence  of  the  South. 

Secretary  Baker  would  not  brook  discrimination  against  colored 
soldiers.  It  is  of  official  record  that  at  no  time  during  the  war 
period  did  the  Secretary  of  War  give  countenance  to  the  practice 
of  discrimination  against  colored  soldiers  because  of  their  race. 
On  the  contrary,  there  are  many  instances  which  may  be  cited  to 
prove  that  he  was  sincerely  and  vigorously  opposed  to  any  exhibi- 
tion of  race  prejudice,  and  that  officers  and  men  have  met  with 
severe  and  condign  punishment  for  acts  in  contravention  of  justice 
to  the  colored  defenders  of  the  flag. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  just  after  the  Houston  riot  in  Texas, 
during  the  month  of  August,  1917,  there  was  a  common  feeling 
throughout  the  South  that  no  more  colored  troops  should  be  sta- 

ed  on  Southern  soil.  Many  problems,  therefore,  had  to  be  solved 
connection  with  sending  the  Negro  soldiers  into  the  various 
camps.  There  was  the  fear,  ill  concealed  in  the  North  as  well  as  in 
the  South,  that  if  Negro  soldiers,  in  large  numbers,  were  sent  into 
any  particular  camp  they  would  be  a  menace  to  the  surrounding 
population  and  to  peace  and  order. 

When  the  time  came  to  call  colored  troops  under  the  draft,  so 
strongly  did  some  of  the  Southern  States  feel  on  this  subject  that 
officials  and  citizens  visited  Washington  to  protest  against  such 
troops  being  sent  into  their  States  for  training.  This  was  notably 
true  of  South  Carolina,  a  visit  to  Washington  being  made  by 
Governor  Manning,  who  most  strongly  conveyed  to  the  War  Depart- 

75 


76  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

merit  the  feeling  of  the  citizens  of  that  commonwealth.  The  "War 
Department,  however,  adhered  to  its  policy  of  sending  colored 
units  of  National  Guard  organizations  to  the  camps  w^here  such 
National  Guard  Divisions  were  to  be  trained,  whether  it  happened 
to  he  in  the  North  or  the  South. 

Under  this  program  it  so  happened  that  the  8th  Illinois  Regi- 
ment, colored,  was  sent  w^ith  the  remainder  of  the  Illinois  National 
Guard  to  Camp  Logan,  Houston,  Texas,  where  the  riot,  just  referred 
to,  had  occurred  in  August  of  the  same  year.  The  8th  Illinois  was 
commanded  from  Colonel  to  corporal  by  colored  officers,  Col.  Frank- 
lin A.  Denison  being  in  command.  The  old  fires  of  resentment 
were  rekindled  and  it  was  difficult  to  predict  what  would  follow. 
Col.  Denison,  himself  a  native  of  Texas  and  an  attorney  who  had 
won  wide  prestige  as  Assistant  City  Prosecuting  Attorney,  and 
afterwards  Assistant  Corporation  Counsel  of  Chicago,  handled  his 
men  wisely  and  well,  and  no  outbreaks  occurred  betw^een  the  white 
citizens  of  the  town  and  these  colored  soldiers  who  were  being 
trained  for  service  overseas.  Week  by  "week  during  the  course  of 
the  training  Col.  Denison  and  his  men  won  the  confidence  of  the 
best  white  and  colored  citizenship  of  the  town.  He  asked  for  a 
"square  deal"  for  his  men,  and  he  resolved  that  they  should  not 
suffer  because  of  the  former  riot,  with  which  they  had  nothing  to 
do,  although  at  several  places  en  route  to  Houston  from  Illinois 
they  were  jeered  at  along  the  way,  stoned  in  one  or  two  places, 
and  a  riot  was  barely  averted  at  a  way  station  in  Texas. 

The  Ninth  Ohio  was  sent  to  Camp  Sheridan,  Montgomery, 
Alabama,  the  capital  of  the  Confederacy,  along  with  the  Ohio 
National  Guard  Di\^sion.  Organizations  of  colored  citizens  under 
the  leadership  of  Mr.  Victor  H.  Tulane,  a  trustee  of  Tuskegee 
Institute  and  friend  and  counselor  of  the  late  Booker  T.  Washing- 
ton, took  charge  of  the  matter  of  bringing  the  colored  and  white 
people  of  the  city  into  agreement  so  that  there  sliould  be  no  un- 
toward incident  while  the  Ohio  battalion  was  at  Montgomery. 
A  change  as  to  sentiment  soon  followed  among  the  citizens  of 
various  cities  throughout  the  South  where  National  Guard  Camps, 
or  National  Army  Cantonments  were  located,  when  the  colored 
.^  oldiers  began  to  show  by  their  demeanor  that  they  were  bent  upon 
serious  business   and   that  they  were  disposed   to  go   about  their 


CRITICAL  SITUATION  IN  THP]  CAMPS  77 

business  without  molesting  the  common  citizenship,  asking  only 
that  they  in  turn  be  not  unfairly  treated. 

It  is  to  the  credit  of  the  South  that  outside  of  the  common 
friction  which  always  occurs  where  any  group  of  soldiers  are  gath- 
ered, whether  they  be  white  or  black,  no  clash  of  the  kind  feared 
took  place  during  the  whole  period  of  the  training.  City  officials, 
judges,  and  chiefs  of  police  began  to  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of 
the  men,  expressing  in  nearly  every  instance  great  surprise  that 
none  of  the  anticipated  troubles  had  occurred.  The  relations  be- 
tween the  colored  and  white  soldiers  in  the  camps,  with  rare  excep- 
tions, were  pleasant  and  friendly;  and  where  those  exceptions 
occurred  it  was  due  more  or  less  to  the  policies  pursued  by  such 
authorities  as  were  fearful  of  untoward  results  rather  than  to  anv 
other  reason. 

Shortly  after  the  Special  Assistant  was  called  to  service,  the 
Secretary  of  War  held  a  conference  with  Mr.  Raymond  B.  Fosdick, 
Chairman  of  the  Commission  on  Training  Camp  Activities,  and 
the  author,  making  a  survey  of  the  whole  situation  with  reference 
to  the  presence  of  these  colored  men  in  the  various  camps  and 
cantonments  and  expressing  the  hope  and  idea  that  the  Commission 
on  Training  Camp  Activities  w^ould  make  full  provision  for  the 
entertainment,  recreation,  and  amusement  of  colored  soldiers,  such 
as  was  being  provided  for  Avhite  soldiers.  Mr.  Fosdick,  as  the 
responsible  executive  officer  of  this  important  work,  most  enthusi- 
astically developed  and  carried  out  this  program.  His  representa- 
tives in  the  various  States  cooperated,  more  or  less  slowly  to  begin 
with,  but  in  the  end  most  enthusiastically,  to  provide  proper  recrea- 
tion and  amusement  for  colored  as  well  as  for  white.  It  is  a  fact 
to  be  noted,  however,  that  the  War  Camp  Community  Service 
organization  made  provision  for  colored  soldiers  in  only  one  city 
during  tlie  first  seven  months  after  they  were  drafted,  but  between 
May,  1918,  and  August  5  of  the  same  year,  six  or  eight  clubs  were 
opened  in  various  cities. 

Military  Training  An  Educational  Uplift 
While  the  Field  Signal  Battalion  and  some  of  the  Headquarters 
companies  of  the  92nd  Division  were  composed  of  specially  trained 
enlisted  men,  and  well  educated  men  selected  from  the  draft,  there 


78  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

was  an  amazing  amount  of  illiteracy  when  the  Division  was  first 
organized.  As  the  trains  from  the  Sonth  bronght  the  men  into  the 
camps  dnring  the  bleak  days  of  November,  1917,  they  were  a 
spectacle  to  behold.  Hundreds  coming  directly  from  the  cotton  and 
corn  fields  or  the  lumber  and  mining  districts — frightened,  slow- 
footed,  slack-shouldered,  many  underfed,  apprehensive,  knowing 
little  of  the  j^urpose  for  which  they  were  being  assembled  and 
possibly  caring  less — the  officers  but  recently  from  the  training 
camp  received  them. 

The  task  of  making  soldiers  of  such  raw  material  presented  a 
most  discouraging  problem.  Night  school  with  the  veriest  rudi- 
ments of  elementaiy  training  and  talks  on  the  simple  rules  of  better 
living  and  army  sanitation  were  conducted  by  the  officers  of  every 
organization  in  connection  with  the  daily  drill  schedules.  The 
officers  of  the  92nd  Division  determined  to  make  men  of  this 
material,  men  capable  of  occupying  a  larger  place  in  the  community 
life  at  the  same  time  that  they  were  making  soldiers  of  them,  fitted 
to  fill  the  place  in  a  modern  fighting  machine  such  as  was  being  built 
by  the  United  States  Army.  AVithout  exception  the  men  showed 
that  they  were  eager  to  learn;  and  as  the  stoop  came  out  of  their 
spines,  the  shamble  from  their  gait,  they  learned  to  read  and  write 
their  names.  On  the  first  pay-roll  of  one  regiment  of  the  92nd 
Division  90  per  cent  of  the  men  being  unable  to  write,  made  their 
marks.  Five  months  of  night  school  eliminated  this  condition  and 
in  its  place  came  smartness  in  drill,  cleanliness  in  billets,  discipline, 
a  pride  in  the  uniform,  respect  for  the  flag,  and.  the  ability  to  sign 
their  nam.es  to  the  pay-rolls.  When  that  same  regiment  which  had 
had  90  per  cent  of  its  members  unable  to  write  their  names  was  on 
its  return  trip  South  to  be  mustered  out  of  the  service,  Eed  Cross 
workers  in  two  cities  marveled  at  the  improvement  in  the  men's 
appearance,  some  doubting  that  they  were  the  same  men  who  had 
passed  these  points  going  into  the  draft.  The  difference  Avas  not 
one  of  appearance  alone,  for  every  one  of  those  same  men  gave 
Uncle  Sam  a  receij^t  in  his  own  handwriting  for  his  final  pay  and 
was  capable  of  correcting  any  error  that  might  have  been  made  by 
the  clerk. 

All  of  the  new  influences  which  the  colored  soldier  met  in  the 
camp  conspired  to  give  him  a  new  vision,  and  the  testimony  from 


CRITICAL  SITUATION  IN  THE  CAMPS  79 

such  widely  separated  points  as  Camp  Dodge,  Ft.  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
and  several  of  the  camps  in  the  South  will  illustrate  the  change 
which  soon  came  to  be  noted  as  to  the  conduct  and  demeanor  of  the 
colored  soldier. 

Collier's  Weekly  dispatched  one  of  its  staff  contributors, 
William  Slavens  McNutt,  to  make  a  round  of  all  the  camps  and 
cantonments  and  to  report  conditions  as  he  found  them.  In  one  of 
these  articles  entitled,  ''Making  Soldiers  in  Dixie, '^  Mr.  McNutt 
devoted  considerable  space  to  the  description  of  the  change  which 
was  taking  place  in  the  Southern  cities  and  towns,  and  even  in  some 
of  the  Southern  camps  where  colored  soldiers  and  Southern  white 
men  were  being  trained  for  overseas  service.  In  this  article  Mr. 
McNutt  reported  visits  made  by  him  to  two  Southern  camps  and 
paid  many  compliments  to  the  Negro  soldiers  because  of  their 
solemn  attitude  toward  the  war  and  the  earnestness  with  which 
they  undertook  and  passed  through  the  ordeal  of  training. 

A  Situation  at  Spartanburg,  S.  C. 

But  it  was  not  all  easy  sailing  in  all  the  camps  and  there  was 
considerable  jarring  from  time  to  time  and  enlightening  wisdom 
and  firmness  were  required  to  overcome  certain  threatening  situa- 
tions. One  of  these  stands  out  in  my  memory  particularly  just 
now,  and  is  probably  being  related  for  the  first  time.  At  Spartan- 
burg, South  Carolina,  where  the  New  York  National  Guard  units 
were  being  trained,  there  developed  a  little  trouble.  The  15th  New 
York  Regiment  (colored)  under  command  of  Col.  William  Hay  ward, 
which  regiment  afterwards  came  to  be  known  as  the  369th,  won 
enduring  fame  in  France,  being  the  first  colored  combat  regiment  to 
go  overseas.  On  October  22,  1917,  Col.  Hayward  came  personally 
to  the  War  Department  to  place  before  it  the  highly  inflammable 
situation  existing  at  Spartanburg,  South  Carolina,  near  which  city 
Camp  Wadsworth  was  located.  Spartanburg  is  a  small  Southern 
city  which  closely  follows  w^hat  are  usually  regarded  as  Southern 
traditions  and  prejudices  in  the  treatment  of  the  Negro.  Some  of 
its  citizens  rather  felt  that  something  was  needed  to  let  the  jaunty 
Negro  soldiers  from  New  York  "know  their  place,"  and  so  one 
Sunday  evening  when  a  colored  soldier.  Noble  Sissle  by  name, 
stepped  into  a  white  hotel  to  buy  a  New  York  newspaper,  the  pro- 


80  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

prietor  walked  up  to  liim,  it  is  stated,  and  with  an  oath  demanded 
to  know  why  he  did  not  remove  his  hat.  Sissle,  holding  the  news- 
paper in  one  hand  and  his  change  in  the  other,  did  not  quickly 
enough  respond  to  the  demand  and  his  hat  was  knocked  from  his 
head.  When  he  reached  down  to  pick  it  up  and  arose  he  was  all 
but  felled  by  a  blow,  and  as  he  retreated  toward  the  door  was  kicked 
by  the  irate  proprietor.  On  the  sidewalk,  awaiting  Sissle 's  return, 
was  Lieut.  James  K.  Europe,  a  colored  officer,  bandmaster  of  the 
15th  New  York  Regiment.  A  group  of  colored  and  white  militiamen 
"rushed"  the  hotel,  but  were  ''called  to  attention"  by  Lieut. 
Europe,  who  demanded  that  the  crowd  disperse. 

The  New  York  militiamen  expressed  themselves  as  being  vio- 
lently opposed  to  the  treatment  which  had  been  visited  upon  Sissle ; 
and  so  the  next  night  a  group  of  these  soldiers  banded  together  and 
began  marching  to  Spartanburg,  several  miles  away,  to  ''shoot  it 
up"  as  the  soldiers  at  Houston  had  "shot  up"  that  town  after  the 
clash  with  the  Houston  police  in  the  August  preceding. 

It  was  only  because  of  Col.  Hayward's  courage  and  firmness  in 
overtaking  these  men,  and  in  safely  bringing  them  back  to  camp 
that  another  Houston  riot  was  for  the  moment  averted. 

The  feeling  grew  more  and  more  intense,  however,  and  Col. 
Hayward,  to  ward  off  another  "situation,"  came  to  the  War 
Department.  The  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War  was 
hastily  summoned  by  the  Secretary  of  War  and  ordered  to  proceed 
to  Spartanburg.  The  atmosphere,  it  was  easily  obsei-ved,  was 
surcharged.  Col.  Hayward  called  his  officers  together,  advised  them 
of  the  object  of  the  mission  of  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary 
of  War  and  had  all  non-commissioned  officers  of  the  regiment 
assemble.  Col.  Hay\vard  then  withdrew  and  carried  with  him  every 
commissioned  officer  of  the  regiment.  Non-commissioned  officers 
usually  prove  themselves  to  be  the  backbone  of  a  regiment,  and  it 
was  these  men  that  Col.  Hayward  desired  I  should  address.  These 
men  and  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War  were  thus 
left  alone  to  discuss  the  delicate  situation  face  to  face  and  in  the 
frankest  way  possible.  My  address  to  these  men  was  an  appeal 
and  admonition  to  do  nothing  that  would  bring  dishonor  or  stain 
to  the  regiment  or  to  the  race  which  they  represented;  that  what- 
ever of  violence  they  should  do  in  the  present  difficulty  would  only 


CRITICAL  SITUATION  IN  THE  CAMPS  81 

react  upon  their  race  tlirougliout  the  country,  and  that  the  situation 
was  potentially  dangerous,  in  that  it  was  hardly  to  be  expected 
that  the  country  would  stand  for  another  riot  of  the  Houston  char- 
acter, despite  the  fact  that  the  men,  when  visiting  the  town,  had 
suffered  rebuffs  and  mistreatment  which  had  tried  their  patience 
and  caused  them  to  wish  to  visit  violence  upon  the  community. 

As  the  Special  Assistant  now  recalls  that  dramatic  setting  in 
the  late  afternoon  of  that  Fall  day,  there  is  nothing  in  the  service 
rendered  by  him  in  the  War  Department  which  he  remembers  more 
vividly,  or  as  being  more  serviceable  than  that  appeal  addressed  to 
these  men,  that  they  should  listen  to  the  counsel  of  patience  for  the 
Great  Cause,  even  in  the  face  of  studied  insult  and  maltreatment. 
Afterward  many  of  the  men,  with  tears  streaming  down  their  faces, 
approached  him  and  voiced  how  bitterly  they  felt  in  the  face  of  the 
insults  which  had  been  heaj^ed  upon  them  from  time  to  time  as  they 
passed  through  the  town,  but  at  the  same  time  they  told  him  of 
their  willingness  to  listen  to  the  counsel  which  had  been  addressed 
to  them  for  the  sake  of  the  Negro  race,  and  for  all  that  was  at  stake 
for  it  and  the  country  during  the  war. 

The  War  Department  faced  three  situations:  It  could  keep 
the  regiment  at  Camp  Wadsworth  and  face  an  eruption,  and  pos- 
sibly further  anger  the  white  citizens  who  were  opposing  the  reten- 
tion of  the  regiment  there,  while  at  the  same  time  inflaming  the 
men  of  the  regiment  and  many  of  the  white  New  York  guardsmen 
who  were  restive  under  the  treatment  accorded  the  colored  soldiers, 
or  the  regiment  could  be  removed  to  another  camp  and  thereby 
convey  the  intimation  that  whenever  any  community  put  forward 
sufficient  pressure,  the  War  Department  would  respond  thereto 
and  remove  soldiers  from  such  location,  whether  they  had  given 
provocation  for  such  demand  or  not.  As  a  third  alternative  the 
Department  could  order  the  regiment  overseas.  The  latter  alterna- 
tive was  decided  upon,  and  soon  after  reaching  New  York  the  15th 
New  York  was  on  its  way  overseas. 

The  story  of  its  wanderings  from  camp  to  camp  in  America, 
of  its  ship  breaking  down  after  being  two  days  at  sea,  and  of  its 
return  to  New  York  harbor,  of  its  finally  reaching  France,  and  of 
the  glorious  record  it  achieved  as  the  369th  Infantiy  will  be  re- 
counted again  and  again  by  the  heroic  survivors  for  years  to  come. 


CHAPTER  VII 

COLORED  OFFICERS  AND  HOW  THEY  WERE  TRAINED 

First  Officers'  Training  Camp  for  Colored  Men  at  Fort  Des  Moines, 
loiva — Major  J.  E.  Spingarn's  Fight  for  the  Establishment  of 
This  Camp — Methods  of  Training  Reserve  Officers — Negro 
Educational  Institutions  Furnish  Personnel — Seven  Hundred 
Colored  Officers  Cominissioned  at  Fort  Des  Moines. 

While  the  great  nations  in  Europe  were  flooding  the  continent 
with  human  blood,  leaders  in  American  political  thought  saw  that 
the  United  States  would  sooner  or  later  become  a  partner  in  the 
great  cataclysm.  The  weakness  of  our  Army  and  Navy  crystallized 
into  a  national  slogan,  ''Preparedness."  Accordingly,  several 
leading  citizens  in  New  York  and  vicinity  organized  a  civilian  camp 
at  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.  The  purpose  of  this  camp  was  to  fit  men  to 
take  examinations  for  commissioned  officers  for  the  new  National 
Army  which  was  inevitable.  The  Government  endorsed  the  propo- 
sition and  furnished  aid  to  the  extent  of  upkeep  and  living  expenses 
during  the  period  of  training. 

But  ''Plattsburg"  was  a  voluntary — almost  a  social  camp,  and 
true  to  American  tradition  no  colored  men  could  be  admitted  to 
such  a  camp  with  white  men.  When  the  United  States  entered  the 
great  European  war,  Congress  authorized  the  establishment  of  a 
number  of  training  camps  for  white  officers,  the  number  to  be  left  to 
the  discretion  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  No  provision  was  made 
for  the  training  of  colored  officers.  After  repeated  efforts  of 
various  kinds,  a  committee  composed  of  representative  citizens, 
headed  by  Dr.  Joel  E.  Spingarn  of  New  York  City,  held  a  confer- 
ence with  the  military  authorities.  The  efforts  of  the  committee 
were  fruitless  for  the  time  being,  at  least,  and  the  committee  was 
dissolved.  The  project  was  later  taken  up  by  the  students  of 
Howard  University  together  with  a  few  members  of  the  faculty 

82 


COLORED  OFFICERS  AND  TPIEIR  TRAINING  83 

and  students  from  other  colleges,  from  Lincoln  University,  Fisk  Uni- 
versity, Atlanta  University,  Morehouse  College,  Tuskegee  Normal 
and  Industrial  Institute,  Hampton  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Insti- 
tute, Virginia  Union  Seminary,  and  Morgan  College. 

Efforts  of  Dr.  Spingam 

Dr.  Joel  E.  Spingarn  consulted  Gen.  Leonard  Wood,  who  was 
at  this  time  in  charge  of  the  Eastern  Department,  Governor's 
Island,  New  York,  about  the  establishment  of  a  '^Plattsburg"  for 
colored  men.  General  Wood  gave  assurance  that  the  same  aid  and 
assistance  could  be  given  a  camp  for  colored  men  that  were  given 
the  camp  for  white  men,  provided  200  men  of  college  grade  could 
be  secured.  Dr.  Spingarn  set  out  upon  a  vigorous  campaign,  send- 
ing letters  and  circulars  in  every  direction  and  personally  visiting 
Howard  University  and  kindred  institutions.  Success  crowned  his 
indefatigable  industry,  but  not  without  great  opposition. 

Dr.  Spingarn 's  efforts,  by  many  of  the  important  newspapers 
and  leaders  of  the  race,  were  referred  to  as  being  designed  to 
bring  about  the  establishment  of  a  ''Jim  Crow  Camp"  for  training 
colored  officers.  The  agitation  grew  quite  violent  at  times,  par- 
ticularly because  of  the  fact  that  Dr.  Spingarn  was  Chaimian  of  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  National  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Colored  People,  an  organization  generally  regarded  as 
standing  uncompromisingly  for  the  rights  of  the  Negro  people.  In 
his  efforts  to  secure  the  establishment  of  this  camp  Dr.  Spingarn 
had  the  cooperation  of  his  aide,  Dr.  W.  E.  B.  DuBois,  Editor  of 
The  Crisis,  also  regarded  as  an  uncompromising  champion  of  the 
Negro,  and  of  Col.  Charles  Young,  United  States  Army,  and  such 
virile  speakers  and  leaders  as  William  Pickens  and  others.  The 
agitation  among  the  Negro  group  and  the  recognized  friends  of  the 
Negro  grew  so  warai  that  for  a  while  divided  counsels  threatened 
the  establishment  of  a  camp.  Whether  through  a  fortunate  or 
unfortunate  turn  of  circumstances,  while  this  agitation  was  at  its 
height,  Congress  declared  that  a  state  of  war  existed  between  the 
United  States  and  the  Imperial  German  Government.  Immediately, 
civilian  training  camps  were  abolished  and  fourteen  Government 
camps  were  established  for  the  training  of  officers. 

Strange    and    paradoxical    as    it   may    seem,    America,    while 


84  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

fighting  for  the  democratization  of  the  peoples  of  far-oif  Europe, 
was  denying  democracy  to  a  part — an  honest,  loyal  and  patriotic 
part — of  her  citizens  at  home.  Fourteen  camps  were  instituted 
for  the  training  of  WHITE  officers — none  for  colored  officers,  nor 
were  colored  men  admitted  to  any  of  the  fourteen  camps. 

The  next  best  thing  seemed  to  be  a  separate  camp.  The 
students  were  joined  by  faculty  members  and  an  executive  com- 
mittee was  organized  with  Prof,  T,  Montgomery  Gregory  as  Cliair- 
man.  Colored  men  ivere  fighting  the  Government  in  order  to  wring 
from  it  permission  to  fight  for  it.  The  President  and  Deans  of  the 
University  gave  full  cooperation.  A  convention  of  the  student  body 
was  called  on  Tuesday,  May  1,  1917,  when  money  was  raised  by 
students  and  faculty  for  the  dispatch  of  delegates  to  take  up  this 
matter  vrith  the  student  bodies  of  various  schools. 

At  the  suggestion  of  Prof.  Gregory,  the  Executive  Committee 
w^as  transformed  into  the  Central  Committee  of  Negro  College 
Men  with  Mr.  C.  Benjamin  Curley  as  Secretary,  and  an  office  was 
opened  in  the  basement  of  Howard  University  Chapel.  The  work 
was  so  organized  that  the  secretary  was  in  control  of  the  situation 
at  a.11  times  and  his  office  became  the  radiating  center  from  which 
the  latest  information  was  flashed  throughout  the  country.  Letters 
and  telegrams  flooded  the  office  in  qnest  of  details  and  instructions. 
The  delegates  announced  success  in  obtaining  in  ten  days,  1,500 
names  to  be  presented  according  to  agreement,  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment as  a  justification  for  the  appeal  for  an  "Officers'  E«serve 
Training  Camp  for  Colored  Men." 

Meanwhile  the  committee  interviewed  Congressmen,  leaving 
a  copy  of  the  following  card  on  each  Congressman's  desk: 

TRAINING  CAMP  FOR  NEGRO  OFFICERS 

Our  country  faces  the  greatest  crisis  in  its  history ;  the  Negro,  as  ever, 
loyal  and  patriotic,  is  anxious  to  do  his  full  share  in  the  defense  and  sup- 
port of  his  country  in  its  fight  for  democracy.  The  Negro  welcomes  the 
opportunity  of  contributing  his  full  quota  t©  the  Federal  army  now  being 
organized.  He  feels  very  strongly  that  these  Negro  troops  should  be 
officered  by  their  own  men.  The  following  statement  presents  the  facts 
upon  which  we  base  our  request  for  an  officers'  reserve  training  camp  for 
Negroes. 


COLORED  OFFICERS  AND  THEIR  TRAINING  85 

i  (a)  Fourteen  officers'  training  camps  arc  to  be  opened  on  May  14, 
1917,  to  provide  officers  for  the  new  Federal  Army. 

(b)  No  officers  are  to  be  commissioned  unless  they  receive  training  in 
©ne  of  these  fourteen  training  camps: 

(c)  The  War  Department  has  stated  that  it  is  impracticable  to  admit 
Negroes  to  the  fourteen  established  camps ; 

2  (a)     The  Negro  is  to  furnish  his  proportionate  quota  in  this  army; 

(b)  It  seems  just  that  the  competent  and  intelligent  Negroes  should 
have  the  opportunity  to  lead  these  troops; 

(e)  One  thousand  Negro  college  students  and  graduates  have  already 
pledged  themselves  to  enter  such  a  training  camp  immediately; 

(d)  In  addition  men  in  the  medical  profession  desire  to  qualify  for 
service  in  the  Medical  Corps,  and  there  are  other  competent  men  ready  to 
qualify  for  other  specialized  corps  provided  for ; 

(e)  Records  of  Negro  officei-s  and  troops  warrant  the  provision  for 
Negro  officers  to  lead  Negro  troops. 

Lieut.  Col.  Young,  Major  Loving 

Capt.  Davis  Major  Walker 

3.  Therefore,  the  Negro  race  requests  the  establishment  of  an  officers' 
reserve  training  camp  for  Negroes. 

Central  Committee  of  Negro  College  Men. 

Signed : 

Frank  Coleman,  Chicago,  T.  M.  Greoory,  Harvard, 

W.  Douglas,  Lincoln,  C.  H.  Houston,  Amherst, 

W.  A.  Hall,  Union,  L.  H.  Russell,  Cornell, 

M.  H.  Curtis,  Howard,  C.  B.  Curlet,  General  Secretary, 

Howard  University,   Washington,   D.   C. 

Over  300  Senators  and  Representatives  signified  approval,  and 
the  War  Department  was  soon  the  center  of  a  storm  of  telephone 
calls  and  personal  interviews. 

The  colored  churches  in  the  District  of  Columbia  were  inter- 
ested. Dr.  J.  E.  Moorland  advised  that  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  branches 
throughout  the  country  be  used  as  recruiting  stations,  a  valuable 
suggestion  which  was  readily  accepted.  Frequent  mass  meetings 
were  held  by  the  Howard  students;  and  when  additional  funds 
were  needed  a  concert  was  given  in  the  chapel.  A  little  later  the 
University  Dramatic  Club  repeated  its  performance  of  ''Disraeli" 
through  the  courtesy  of  the  management  of  the  Howard  Theater, 
at  which  time  over  $125  was  raised. 


86  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

With  1,500  names  in  tlie  hands  of  the  "War  Department  on 
May  7,  the  campaign  became  more  heated.  Press  articles  were  sent 
ont  by  the  committee.    The  following  is  one  of  a  large  variety: 

'^THE  COLORED  PEOPLE  OP  THE  COUNTRY  MAKING  STRENUOUS  EFFORTS  TO  SECURE 
TRAINING    CAMP    FOR    COLORED    OFFICERS. 

Headquarters  and  Recruiting  Station  at  Howard  University. 
"According  to  the  best  authorities  about  83,000  Negroes  will  be  drafted  for 
the  New  Federal  Army.  The  Negroes  welcome  this  opportunity  of  serving 
their  country,  and  sharing  their  full  responsibilities  in  this  time  of  national 
peril.  They  feel,  however,  that  Negro  troops  thus  raised  should  be  officered 
by  men  of  their  own  race  and  are  making  strenuous  efforts  to  secure  a 
training  camp  in  which  such  officers  can  be  prepared.  The  War  Depart- 
ment has  stated  that  it  ia  impracticable  to  admit  Negroes  to  the  fourteen 
camps  for  officers  to  be  opened  on  May  14,  1917.  And  it  has  also 
stated  that  no  officers  are  to  be  commissioned  unless  they  receive  training 
in  one  of  these  camps.  This  means  that  unless  some  provision  is  made 
whereby  colored  men  may  be  trained  for  officers  these  83,000  Negro  troops 
will  be  officered  exclusively  by  white  officers;  and  that  Negroes  qualified 
both  mentally  and  physically  to  serve  as  officers  will  be  forced  under  the 
conscription  law  to  serve  as  privates.  The  colored  man  is  willing  and 
ready  to  carry  out  the  duties  imposed  upon  him  as  an  American  citizen, 
and  feels  that  he  should  be  given  the  same  opportunities  in  the  perform- 
ance of  these  duties  as  are  given  to  other  American  citizens.  The  Negroes 
from  every  section  are  reciuesting  that  the  Government  provide  means 
whereby  colored  officers  may  be  trained.  The  appeal  is  just,  reasonable, 
and  practicable.  The  proposition  is  squarely  up  to  the  Government.  This 
is  no  time  for  sectional  differences  and  race  prejudice  and  the  highest 
patriotism  demands  that  every  American  citizen  be  given  the  opportunity 
to  serve  his  country  in  the  capacity  for  which  he  is  best  fitted. 

"Over  one  thousand  colored  men  have  sent  their  names  to  their 
headquarters  at  Howard  University,  and  hundreds  of  others  are  arriving 
by   mail   and   telegrams. 

"Why  should  not  colored  troops  be  officered  by  colored  men?  Their 
records  show  them  to  be  competent  and  efficient,  and  to  deny  any  class  of 
citizens  the  opportunity  of  rendering  its  best  service  belies  the  very  theory 
of  our  democracy,  and  the  basic  principle  for  which  the  present  war  is 
waged.  Our  American  statesmen  should  frown  upon  any  procedure  that 
does  not  offer  an  equal  opportunity  for  all  at  all  times,  but  more  especially 
at  a  time  when  our  country  is  faced  by  a  foreign  foe." 


COLORED  OFFICERS  AND  THEIR  TRAINING  87 

An  important  conference  was  lield  in  Washington  with  Dr. 
Robert  R.  Moton,  Principal,  and  Mr.  Emmett  J.  Scott,  Secretary 
of  the  Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  by  Dean  Georg:e 
W.  Cook  and  Professor  T.  Montgomery  Gregory  of  Howard  Uni- 
versity and  the  valued  support  of  Tuskegee  Institute  enlisted  in 
behalf  of  the  Officers'  Reserve  Training  Camp.  The  work  in  Con- 
gress was  kept  up.  Communications  were  sent  to  President  Wilson, 
Secretary  Lansing,  Secretary  Baker,  and  other  Cabinet  officers. 
Finally  there  were  two  important  conferences:  the  one  at  the 
War  College  where  President  Newman  of  Howard  University, 
Deans  Miller,  Cook  and  Moore,  Professors  Tunnell  and  Gregory, 
Mr.  H.  E.  Moore,  Doctors  Marshall  and  Cabannis  met  and  dis- 
cussed the  matter  with  Major  Kingman,  then  head  of  the  War 
College;  the  other  with  Secretary  Baker  the  following  day,  when 
he  practically  assured  the  same  committee  of  the  establishment 
of  the  camp. 

"The  question  of  location,  it  was  said,  was  the  only  remaining 
obstacle;  to  offset  this  the  grounds  and  buildings  of  Howard  Uni- 
versity were  offered  by  the  authorities,  but  were  not  accepted  for 
various  reasons.  The  tension  was  then  at  its  height  and  just  as  a 
more  extensive  campaign  was  about  to  be  launched  President 
Newman  was  notified  that  the  camp  would  be  established.  This 
happened  about  7  P.  M.,  May  12,  1917. 

''The  authorization  of  the  camp  brought  joy  unspeakable  to 
the  hearts  of  the  committee  and  students.  Smiles  and  handshakes 
soon  made  the  campus  seem  like  an  old-fashioned  Methodist  prayer 
meeting  and  the  news  was  heralded  far  and  wide.  The  following 
was  sent  to  all  those  who  had  submitted  their  names: 

'"Dear  Sir: 

"  'The  War  Department  has  announced  that  a  camp  to  which  colored 
men  can  be  admitted  to  be  trained  as  officers  will  be  established  at  Fort 
Des  Moines,  Iowa,  June  15th.  Twelve  hundred  fifty  men  will  be  admitted. 
Two  hundred  fifty  will  be  selected  from  the  regular  army  and  one  thou- 
sand from  the  various  states  and  the  District  of  Columbia  on  a  pro  rata 
basis.  The  camp  will  be  organized  and  maintained  on  the  same  regula- 
tions as  all  the  other  camps  now  in  operation. 

"  'There  will  be  recruiting  stations  throughout  the  country  to  which 
applicants  must  report  for  physical  and  mental  examinations.     The  mental 


«8  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

training   will   be   rigid   and   none   but   thoroughly   qualified   men   ought   to 
apply. 

"  'Successful  applicants  must  pay  their  transportation  to  the  camp. 
They  will  be  reimbursed  at  the  rate  of  31/2  cents  per  mile  from  their 
homes  to  Des  Moines  by  the  shortest  route.  The  men  will  be  paid  while 
in  camp  but  the  exact  amount  has  not  yet  been  determined.  Additional 
information  will  be  given  to  the  Press  as  soon  as  the  War  Department 
issues  it.  Watch  the  papers  from  this  date.  The  race  is  on  trial.  Come 
to  camp  determined  to  make  good. 

''  'Yours  truly, 

C.  Benj.  Curley, 

Greneral    Secretary', 
Central  Committee  of  Negro  College  Men.' 
Howard  University, 
Washington,  D.   C. 
May  23,   1917. 

"Of  the  1500  names  submitted,  these  were  almost  without 
exception  men  from  colleges  and  averaged  between  18  and  25. 
The  War  Department  in  the  interim  suggested  that  in  as.  far  as 
possible  only  men  between  25  and  40  be  included.  This  meant 
additional  work,  but  the  committee  met  it  cheerfully  and  aug- 
mented its  already  widely  advertised  propaganda  by  numerous 
press  articles.     The  following  is  one  of  the  many: 

"  'Howard   University, 

"  'Washington,  D.   C, 

"  'May  24,  1917 
"  'Dear  Brother: 

"  'A  Reserve  Officers'  Training  Camp,  accommodating  1250,  at  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  for  Colored  men,  to  start  June  loth.  Such  was  the  official 
announcement  of  the  War  Department  last  Saturday,  May  19th. 

"  'Stop  but  a  moment,  brother,  and  realize  w-hat  this  means.  At 
present,  we  have  only  three  officers  of  the  line  in  the  army;  in  less  than 
four  months  we  shall  have  1250  officers.  Our  due  recognition  at  last 
But  no  one  who  was  not  in  the  fight  Imows  what  a  struggle  we  had  to 
obtain  the  camp.  Only  a  few  of  those  in  authority  w^ould  support  the 
project;  most  of  them  did  not  want  to  consider  it;  and  the  remainder  were 
bitterly  against  it.  "Why  waste  time  trying  to  train  Negroes  to  be 
officers,"  they  said,  "when  the  Negro  can't  fight  unless  he  is  led  by  white 
officers?"     The  truth  is,  the  Negro  has  had  no  chance  to  fight  under  his 


COLORED  OFFICERS  AND  THEIR  TRAINING  S9 

own  leadership.  Now  the  chance  has  come;  the  greatest  opportunity  since 
the  Civil  War.  But  what  if  we  fail?  Eternal  disgrace!  Our  enemies 
will  say  forever:  "Oh,  yes,  the  Ninth  and  Tenth  were  uneducated  men; 
but  just  as  soon  as  the  Negro  gets  a  little  education  he  becomes  a  coward." 
There  is  a  terrible  responsibility  resting  upon  us.  The  Government  has 
challenged  the  Negro  race  to  prove  its  worth,  particularly  the  worth  of  its 
educated  leaders.  We  must  succeed  and  pour  into  the  camp  in  over- 
whelming numbers.     Let  no  man  slack. 

"  'Some  few  people  have  opposed  the  camp  as  a  "Jim  Crow"  camp; 
they  say  we  are  sacrificing  principle  for  policy.  Let  them  talk.  This 
camp  is  no  more  "Jim  Crow"  than  our  newspapers,  our  churches,  our 
schools.  In  fact,  it  is  less  ' '  Jim  Crow ' '  than  our  other  institutions,  for  here 
the  Government  has  assured  us  of  exactly  the  same  recognition,  treatment, 
instruction  and  pay  as  men  in  any  other  camp  get.  The  Government 
bears  all  expenses,  including  transportation,  uniform,  and  keep ;  and,  in 
addition,  pays  a  salary  of  not  less  than  $75  a  month  while  in  training. 
When  commissioned,  the  lowest  salary  is  $145  a  month.  But  the  salary, 
though  not  to  be  despised,  is  not  the  fundamental  element.  Our  great 
task  is  to  meet  the  challenge  hurled  at  our  race.  Can  we  furnish  officers 
to  lead  our  own  troops  into  battle;  or  will  they  have  to  go  again  (and  if 
they  have  to  go  now,  they  will  go  forever)  under  white  officers? 

"  'Let  us  not  mince  matters;  the  race  is  on  trial.  It  needs  every  one 
of  its  red-blooded,  sober  minded  men.  Doctors,  lawyers,  teachers,  business 
men,  and  all  men  who  have  graduated  from  high  school.  Let  the  college 
student  and  graduate  come  and  demonstrate  by  their  presence  the  prin- 
ciples of  virtue  and  courage  learned  in  the  academic  halls.  Up,  brother, 
our  race  is  calling. 

"  'We  cannot  tell  you  how  to  register  just  now;  but  in  a  few  days 
we  shall  know  everything.  What  you  are  to  do  NOW  is  to  send  this  letter 
to  another  brother  and  tell  him  to  do  the  same,  to  pass  the  word  along,  and 
to  stir  up  all  the  enthusiasm  in  your  district.  Watch  all  the  papers  and 
when  you  see  news  distribute  it.  Look  for  all  bulletins;  and,  above  all, 
be  ready! 

*'  'Just  think  a  moment  how  serious  the  situation  is.  Peal  the  war 
tocsin ;  stand  by  the  race.  If  we  fail,  our  enemies  will  dub  us  COWARDS 
for  all  time ;  and  we  can  never  win  our  rightful  place.  But  if  we  succeed — 
then  eternal  success;  a  mighty  and  far-reaching  step  forward;  1250 
Colored  Army  officers  leading  Negro  troops.  Look  to  the  future,  brother, 
the  vision  is  glorious ! 

"  'Ever  your  brothers, 
"  'Central  Committee  of  Negro  College  Men.'  " 


90  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

As  a  result  of  these  persistent  efforts  a  training  camp  for  colored 
officers  was  authorized  by  the  Secretary  of  "War  on  the  19th  of 
May  and  soon  thereafter  the  candidates  for  commissions  set  out 
for  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  they  were  to  undergo  training. 
The  Honorable  Champ  Clark,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, said  that  this  marked  **an  epoch  in  American  history  and  a 
new  day  for  the  Negro." 

The  student  officers  were  put  through  weeks  of  intensive  train- 
ing under  Col.  C.  C.  Ballon,  his  staff,  and  a  group  of  colored  non- 
commissioned officers  from  the  four  colored  regiments  of  the 
Regular  Army.  The  Presidents  and  other  officers  of  the  various 
colored  institutions  of  learning  whose  officers,  teachers  and  stu- 
dents were  in  training  visited  the  camp  and  spoke  to  the  officer- 
candidates.  Dr.  George  W.  Cabannis,  a  colored  physician  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  voluntarily  gave  up  his  practice  and  enlisted 
in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work  as  a  Secretary,  and  took  charge  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  tent  at  Ft.  Des  Moines,  working  in  closest  cooperation 
with  Col.  Ballon  and  his  military  aides. 

It  was  expected  that  the  training  would  last  three  months. 
At  the  end  of  that  period,  however,  the  War  Department  decided 
to  continue  training  for  another  month.  Suspicion  became  rife 
among  the  men;  many  of  them  dropped  out,  giving  as  a  reason 
that  "the  AVar  Department  never  intended  to  commission  colored 
men  as  officers  in  the  army." 

There  were  only  a  few  of  those  faint-hearted  fellows,  however; 
the  great  majority  remained,  and  on  October  14,  1917,  Col.  W.  T. 
Johnson  of  the  Adjutant  General's  Office  arrived  at  Ft.  Des 
Moines  with  commissions  for  639  officers, — 106  captains;  329  first 
lieutenants,  and  204  second  lieutenants. 

On  that  day,  October  14,  1917,  amidst  impressive  ceremonies, 
the  17th  Provisional  Training  Regiment,  as  the  Fort  Des  Moines 
Training  Camp  was  called,  was  formed  on  the  drill-ground  facing 
the  Administration  building;  here  with  bared  heads  and  uplifted 
hands  these  639  members  of  the  regiment  (the  unsuccessful  mem- 
bers having  been  dismissed)  took  the  solemn  oath  which  was 
administered  by  Col.  Johnson,  Chief  of  the  Division  of  Training 
Camps,  War  Department. 

On  the  next  day,  October  15,  the  successful  candidates  received 


COLORED  OFFICERS  AND  THEIR  TRAINING  91 

commissions  and  were  ordered  to  report  after  fifteen  days'  leave 
of  absence  to  their  respective  camps.  In  equally  divided  groups 
the  C39  officers  were  sent  to  the  following  camps,  reporting  for 
duty  on  the  1st  of  November,  1917:  Camp  Funston,  Kansas; 
Camp  Dodge,  Iowa;  Camp  Grant,  Illinois;  Camp  Sherman,  Ohio; 
Camp  Meade,  Maryland;  Camp  Dix,  New  Jersey;  Camp  Upton, 
New  York. 

It  was  at  these  widely  distributed  camps  that  the  various  units 
of  the  92d  Division  (the  authorized  colored  Division)  were  trained. 

Some  of  the  difficulties  which  befell  the  92d  Division  are  to  be 
ascribed  to  the  fact  that  the  units  of  the  Division  were  never 
united  until  they  reached  France,  being  trained  in  the  seven  camps 
here  mentioned;  this  was  true  of  no  other  division  of  the  army 
sent  overseas. 

On  October  15,  1917,  impressive  exercises  were  held  in  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  tent,  Dr.  George  W.  Cabannis  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
presiding,  following  the  bestowal  of  the  commissions.  A  program 
had  been  hastily  arranged.  Addresses  were  made  by  Brigadier 
General  C.  C.  Ballon,  who  had  started  the  training  at  Fort  Des 
Moines  and  who  had  been  made  a  Brigadier  General  and  assigned 
to  Fort  Dodge;  by  Col.  Hunt,  who  had  succeeded  Col.  Ballon  in 
charge  of  the  17th  Provisional  Training  Regiment  training  camp; 
by  Dr.  Daniel  Hale  Williams  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  who  was  present 
as  a  visitor,  and  by  one  or  two  officers  of  the  17th  Regiment 
Training  Camp.  The  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
also  spoke  upon  this  occasion,  having  been  detailed  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  AVar  to  represent  him  at  the  exercises  in  connection  with 
the  bestowal  of  the  commissions. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

TREATMENT  OF  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  IN  CAMP 

Men  from  the  South  Sent  to  Northern  Camps  to  Face  a  Hard 
Winter — Attempts  at  Discrimination  Against  Negro  Soldiers 
and  Officers — Firm  Stand  of  the  Secretary  of  War  Against 
Race  Discrimination — General  Ballou's  "Bidletin  No.  35" — • 
Members  of  Draft  Boards  Dismissed  for  Discrimination 
Against  the  Race. 

The  treatment  of  Negro  soldiers  in  the  various  camps  and 
cantonments  of  the  country  was  a  subject  much  discussed  during 
the  war.  Reports  of  discrimination  against  colored  soldiers 
because  of  race  and  color  were  heard  upon  all  sides  and  at  times 
the  colored  people  were  greatly  exercised  when  alleged  situations 
of  a  particularly  outrageous  character  came  to  their  ears.  The 
morale  of  the  race  was  at  times  lowered  to  a  degree  that  was  little 
short  of  dangerous.  Prompt  and  vigorous  action,  however,  on  the 
part  of  officers  high  in  command  led  to  a  correction  of  many  of 
the  evils  complained  of,  and  in  this  way  countless  episodes  preg- 
nant with  the  possibility  of  serious  clashes  and  violent  conflicts 
were  happily  adjusted  and  no  end  of  trouble  thus  averted. 

Before  going  into  the  analysis  of  a  number  of  exceptionally 
trying  instances  of  color  discrimination — incidents  that  more  than 
once  attracted  nation-wide  attention — it  might  be  well  to  make 
note  of  the  manner  in  which  the  colored  troops  were  apportioned 
throughout  the  country.  As  was  perfectly  natural,  by  virtue  of 
the  immense  Negro  population,  the  South  furnished  the  bulk  of 
the  colored  men  called  through  the  selective  draft  law.  If  the 
unwritten  custom  of  assigning  men  to  the  camps  nearest  the  place 
from  which  they  were  drawn  had  been  carried  out  to  the  letter, 
the  camps  in  Mississippi,  Alabama,  Georgia,  Louisiana,  and  South 
Carolina  would  have  been  made  up  in  many  cases  almost  exclu- 
sively of  Negro  soldiers.  For  this  reason,  and  to  prevent  concen- 
tration of  over-large  contingents  of  colored  soldiers  at  any  one 
camp, — a    policy   frankly    decided    upon    long   before    the    Special 

92 


TREATMENT  OF  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  IN  CAMP  93 

Assistant  came  to  the  War  Department — thousands  of  colored 
draftees  found  their  way  to  the  North  in  the  fall  of  1917,  being 
stationed  at  Camps  Grant,  Illinois;  Funston,  Kansas;  Dodge, 
Iowa;  Zachary  Taylor,  Kentucky;  Sherman,  Ohio;  Meade,  Mary- 
land; Custer,  Michigan;  Dix,  Now  Jersey;  Upton,  New  York,  and 
Devens,  Massachusetts — all  of  these  classed  as  Northern  States 
from  the  Southern  soldiers'  climatic  standpoint.  The  climate  of 
the  North — with  its  long  winter,  unusually  severe  in  1917-18 — 
proved  to  be  the  source  of  much  suffering,  on  account  of  its  deadly 
effect  upon  colored  soldiers  bred  and  born  amid  the  magnolia 
blossoms  and  in  the  balmy  atmosphere  of  the  ''sunny  South." 
These  colored  soldiers  faced  the  hard  winter  of  1917  with  sinking 
hearts  and  grave  apprehensions,  and  with  an  equipment  in  many 
instances  far  from  adequate,  owing  to  the  haste  with  which  the 
preparations  for  war  were  made.  There  was  great  suffering 
among  colored  and  white  soldiers,  and  the  mortality  from  pneu- 
monia and  like  troubles  was  alarmingly  heavy  among  the  unacclim- 
atized  colored  men  from  the  South.  Nevertheless,  they  bore  their 
sufferings  with  a  fortitude  that  approached  the  heroic. 

It  was  unjust,  but  not  strange,  that  there  should  be  many 
attempts  at  discrimination  against  Negro  officers  and  soldiers  in 
many  of  the  camps,  particularly  those  in  the  South,  and  in  other 
sections  where  white  soldiers  from  the  South  were  brought  into 
contact  with  colored  troops.  Prejudice,  based  on  race,  was  some- 
thing too  deeply  implanted  in  the  mental  fabric  of  an  element  of 
the  American  people,  it  seemed,  to  be  overcome  over  night  through 
any  pressure  the  war  might  bring  to  bear.  Clashes  between  white 
and  colored  soldiers  happened  North  and  South,  after  a  sporadic 
fashion,  but  at  no  tim-e  were  their  clashes  so  general  or  persistent 
as  to  endanger  the  well-being  of  the  Army  as  a  whole. 

In  many  sections  of  the  South  violent  protests  against  the 
quartering  of  colored  troops  were  registered  with  the  War  Depart- 
ment, and  the  Governors,  Senators,  and  Representatives  of  more 
than  one  State  filed  formal  objections  with  the  President  of  the 
United  States  and  the  War  Department,  insisting  that  Negro 
troops  be  not  stationed  at  the  camps  within  their  borders.  The 
War  Department  steadily  declined  to  be  moved,  by  these  protests 
and   pursued   unhesitatingly   its    practice    of   stationing   units    of 


94  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

troops,  colored  and  white,  at  whatever  posts  the  exigencies  of  the 
service  seemed  to  make  their  presence  expedient  or  necessary. 
The  dignified  bearing  of  the  Negro  soldiers  and  their  studious 
avoidance  of  any  excesses,  however,  tended  to  mollify  the  feelings 
of  the  Southern  people  and  they  finally  began  to  accept  them,  not 
as  an  inescapable  burden  ''wished  upon  them,"  but  with  genuine 
pride  in  their  progress,  declaring  that  they  were  a  part  and  parcel 
of  the  South  and  should  be  accorded  full  credit  for  their  unques- 
tioned valor,  patriotism  and  loyalty. 

The  Houston  Episode 

The  unfortunate  episode  at  Houston,  Texas,  in  1917,  which 
precipitated  a  so-called  "race  riot,"  in  which  were  involved  a 
number  of  the  soldiers  of  the  24th  Infantry,  Regular  Army,  had 
its  origin  in  the  prejudice  of  a  portion  of  the  citizens  of  Houston 
against  Negro  soldiers,  and  the  reciprocation  of  this  dislike  by  the 
colored  soldiers  themselves.  The  clash  that  took  place  in  that  city 
in  August,  1917,  marked  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  the  disorder 
that  had  obtained  throughout  the  earlier  months  of  the  stay  of 
the  colored  troops  at  Houston,  for  afterwards,  when  the  Eighth 
Illinois  Regiment  came  to  Camp  Logan  from  Chicago  and  the 
West,  there  were  but  few  ebullitions  of  race  feeling  ])etween  the 
whites  and  the  men  of  the  Eighth.  The  execution  of  thirteen  of 
the  colored  soldiers  implicated  in  the  Houston  riot  was  one  of 
the  dark  spots  on  the  escutcheon  of  the  Army,  but  it  did  not 
dampen  the  ardor  of  the  colored  men  who  went  to  the  front  for 
the  Stars  and  Stripes.  They  realized  that  neither  the  meanness 
of  those  who  fomented  the  riot,  nor  the  undue  haste  that  led  to 
the  summary  execution  of  the  soldiers  convicted  of  being  guilty  of 
murder  and  mutiny,  was  typical  of  the  feeling  of  the  great  body 
of  the  American  people,  nor  of  even  the  large  majority  of  Southern 
white  people  of  real  influence  and  standing. 

Incipient  race  riots  were  reported  at  frequent  intervals  at 
various  stations.  North  and  South.  Of  these,  mention,  might  be 
made  of  the  magnified  reports  of  a  fracas  said  to  have  occurred 
between  Negro  soldiers  and  the  police  at  Newport  News,  Virginia, 
in  September,  1918,  and  of  other  affairs  of  no  great  seriousness 
that  were  reported  at  Camp  Upton,  Camp  Merritt,  Camp  Grant, 


TREATMENT  OF  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  IN  CAM!'  95 

and  one  or  two  others.  Many  minor  encounters  grew  out  of  the 
refusal  of  white  soldiers  to  salute  colored  officers,  and  of  efforts 
to  draw  the  color  line  in  places  of  recreation  and  amusement. 
Most  of  these  cases  were  adjusted  by  the  commanding  officers  of 
the  army  camps. 

At  Camp  Grant,  Illinois,  General  Thomas  H.  Barry,  Com- 
manding General,  faced  this  question  as  soon  as  it  was  presented. 
A  newspaper  reporter  started  a  campaign  of  inquiry  among  cer- 
tain of  the  white  soldiers  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  they  meant 
to  salute  colored  officers.  The  question  began  to  run  through  the 
camp,  but  this  reporter  was  challenged  by  General  Barry  in  the 
presence  of  others  to  cease  his  activity.  The  General  plainly 
stated  that  in  that  particular  camp  the  Commanding  Officer  desig- 
nated by  the  War  Department  alone  was  in  command,  without 
the  aid  of  journalistic  helpers,  and  that  the  only  color  recognized 
in  Camp  Grant  was  to  be  the  **0.  D." — the  olive  drab  of  the 
Army  uniform. 

How  General  Bell  Acted 

At  Camp  Upton,  New  York,  General  F.  Franklin  Bell  met  a 
similar  situation  without  hesitation: 

''Now,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "I  am  not  what  you  would  call 
'a  Negro  lover.'  I  have  seen  service  in  Texas,  and  elsewhere  in 
the  South.  Your  men  have  started  this  trouble.  I  don't  want 
any  explanations.  These  colored  men  did  not  start  it.  It  doesn't 
matter  how  your  men  feel  about  these  colored  men.  They  are 
United  States  soldiers.  They  must  and  shall  be  treated  as  such. 
If  you  can't  take  care  of  your  men,  I  can  take  care  of  you;  and," 
said  he  in  conclusion,  **if  there  is  any  more  trouble  from  your 
men  you  will  be  tried,  not  by  a  Texas  jury  but  by  General  Bell, 
and  not  one  of  you  will  leave  this  camp  for  overseas."  And  he 
thus  dismissed  them. 

General  Bell  was  talking  to  white  officers  of  a  Southern 
regiment  that  came  to  Camp  Upton.  The  remarks  quoted  above 
follow^ed  a  fracas  between  white  soldiers  of  this  Southern  regiment 
and  colored  soldiers  whom  the  white  soldiers  attempted  to  throw 
out  of  the  Hostess  House,  while  he  was  Commanding  General  there. 

At  Camp  Lee,  Virginia,  General  Adelbert  Cronkhite  was  re- 


96  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

ported  in  the  Eichmond,  Virginia,  daily  newspapers  and  in  the 
camp  newspaper  as  saying: 

''I  met  some  junior  officers  who  said  they  were  not  keen  on 
saluting  Negro  officers.  They  would  not  feel  that  way  if  they 
understood  the  spirit  of  the  salute.  If  one  of  them  came  from  a 
town  where  there  was  an  old  Negro  character,  one  of  those  old 
fellows  who  do  odd  jobs  around  and  is  known  to  everybody,  he'd 
at  least  nod  his  head  and  say,  ^ Howdy,  uncle.'  Now,  suppose 
through  some  freak  of  nature  this  old  Negro  should  be  trans- 
planted into  an  officer's  uniform;  the  salute  would  be  merely 
saying  to  him  '  Howdy,  uncle, '  in  a  military  way. ' ' 

It  is  fair  to  say  that  General  Cronkhite  disavowed  responsi- 
bility for  the  appearance  of  a  certain  article  in  the  Richmo7id 
Times  Dispatch  and  said  that  he  had  never  made  a  statement  in 
the  way  it  was  quoted  in  the  article.  He  explained,  however,  that 
''the  idea  involved  in  this  statement  expressed  in  becoming  lan- 
guage is  the  expression  of  my  idea  and  was  not  based  on  any 
special  case,"  whatever  that  may  mean!  General  Cronkhite  also 
said  that  his  statement  was  not  an  official  one  and  had  not  there- 
fore been  published  by  him  in  the  official  bulletin  of  the  command. 

Attempts  at  segregation  were  charged  against  the  Quarter- 
master's Depots  at  Chicago  and  at  St.  Louis,  where  color  dis- 
crimination was  alleged  in  the  matter  of  appointments,  promotions, 
and  working  conditions,  and  where  unfairness  was  said  to  exist 
in  the  withholding  from  the  colored  employees  of  the  use  of  toilet 
facilities,  as  well  as  restrictions  in  the  service  of  the  depot  restau- 
rants, cafeterias  and  the  like.  Whenever  these  cases  were  called 
to  the  attention  of  the  War  Department  they  were  carefully 
inquired  into,  to  develop  the  facts.  In  more  instances  than  the 
Special  Assistant  can  now  recall,  remedial  action  was  taken  by 
the  officials  in  charge  of  the  stations  under  criticism.  Discriminat- 
ing orders  were  rescinded,  restrictions  modified,  and  favorable 
interpretation  of  ambiguous  regulations  was  secured  in  many  of 
the  cases  that  came  to  the  War  Department. 

Gen.  Ballou's  Bulletin  No.  35  at  Camp  Funston 

Perhaps  no  single  incident  in  the  camp  life  of  the  Army 
attracted   so   large   a  measure   of   attention   at   the  hands   of  the 


Above — This  is  how  the  W  esiern  i^roni  m  i<  ranee  looked  most  of  the  time.  The  Germans  kept 
down  in  t  heir  trenches  and  the  Allies  in  theirs,  with  barbed  wire  entanglements  of  No  Man's 
Land  between  them.     Negro  soldiers  with  machine  guns. 

Below — Another  corner  of  the  Fighting  Front :  American  Negro  Soldiers  and  French  Colonials  fir- 
ing  rifle   grenades. 


Above — "War  Camp  Community  Service,   Dance   Graduates,   Louisville,   Ky. 
Below — War   Camp    Community    Service    Workers,    Girls'    Patriotic    League   of   Louisville,    Ky. 


S5Pi>.   ^^ 


ai^<»Sie 


Above — After  ihe  capture  of  Cantigny.  Colored  troops  won  glory  in  taking  this  city  from  the 
Germans.  Photograph  shows  American  Negro  soldiers  cleaning  up  the  ruins  with  flame 
throwers  and  grenades. 

Below — American  Negro  BOldiers  throwing  hand  grenades  from  a  French  trench  into  No  Man's 
Land, 


Above — One  of  the  most  important  parts  of  war  is  keeping  up  communication  with  the  front.  Tele- 
phone lines  must  be  maintained  no  matter  how  heavy  the  enemy's  fire.  This  French  Official 
Photograph  shows  Senegalese  troops  carrying  telephone  lines  forward  to  observation  posts. 

Below — American  Negro  Soldiers  and  French  tanks.  This  is  the  way  the  colored  infantrymen  ad- 
vanced on  the  Somme. 


Above — Some   of  the   Chicago   Girls   AVelcoming-   Home  One   of   the   Boys   of   the   3.  nth    (Uld    ith 

Illinois   National    Guard). 

Below — The   Salvation   Army   Draws   No   Color   Line.      Soldiers  of   the   351st   Field   Artillery   are 

receiving   candy   from    Salvation   Army   lassies,   on   their   return   to    New   York. 


■^Wi 


■^.Mff'^^& 


Above — Negro  Troops  in  Camp  in  France.     This  temporary  shelter  was  not  far  from  the  front 
line.     The  men  are  wearing  their  trench  boots  and  the  top  of  shelter  is  covered  with  branches 
of  trees,   a  form  of  camouflage  intended  to  prevent  detection  by  enemy  aeroplanes. 
Below — Routing    the    enemy    with    cold    steel. — From    Photo    and    Painting. 


TREATMENT  OF  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  IN  CAMP  97 

colored  people  as  "Bulletin  No.  35,"  issued  to  the  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  92d  Division  by  General  C.  C.  Ballon,  commanding 
officer  of  the  Division,  with  headquarters  at  Camp  Punston, 
Kansas. 

The  issuance  of  the  Bulletin  came  about  because  of  the  refusal 
of  the  manager  of  a  theater  at  Manhattan,  Kansas,  to  admit  a 
sergeant  of  the  92d  Division,  because  of  the  possible  objection  of 
his  white  patrons. 

The  interpretation  placed  upon  the  order  by  most  people  was 
that  General  Ballon  requested  and  indirectly  "ordered"  that 
Negro  officers  and  soldiers  refrain  from  exercising  their  preroga- 
tives as  citizens  in  the  matter  of  attending  places  of  public  amuse- 
ment or  recreation,  if  their  presence  seemed  offensive  to  the  white 
patrons  of  such  resorts  and  likely  to  provoke  racial  friction.  The 
colored  press  was  particularly  bitter  and  many  newspapers  pro- 
nounced the  "order"  an  "insult"  to  the  Negro  race.  At  various 
public  gatherings  of  colored  people  General  Ballon 's  resignation 
as  commander  of  the  92d  Division  was  demanded,  and  at  no  time 
during  his  incumbency  as  the  head  of  the  Division  was  General 
Ballon  able  to  regain  the  confidence  of  the  colored  masses,  with 
whom  he  had  been  immensely  popular  prior  to  this  episode,  in 
recognition  of  his  valued  and  sjTupathetic  services  as  supervisor 
of  the  Officers'  Training  Camp  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  from 
which  came  639  colored  men,  graduating  with  commissions  as 
captains  and  first  and  second  lieutenants. 

The  full  text  of  "Bulletin  No.  35,"  as  issued  by  General 
Ballon  was  as  follows: 

Headquarters  92d  Division, 

Camp   Funston,  Kans,,  March  28,  1918. 

"1.  It  should  be  well  known  to  all  colored  officers  and  men  that  no 
useful  purpose  is  served  by  such  acts  as  will  cause  the  'color  question'  to 
be  raised.  It  is  not  a  question  of  legal  rights,  but  a  question  of  policy, 
and  any  policy  that  tends  to  bring  about  a  conflict  of  races,  with  its 
resulting  animosities,  is  prejudicial  to  the  military  interest  of  the  92d 
Division,  and  therefore  prejudicial  to  an  important  interest  of  the  colored 
race. 

"2.  To  avoid  such  conflicts  the  Division  Commander  has  repeatedly 
urged  that  all  colored  members  of  his  command,  and  especially  the  officers 
and    non-commissioned    officers,    should    refrain    from    going    where    their 


98  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

presence  will  be  resented.  In  spite  of  this  injunction,  one  of  the  sergeants 
of  the  Sledical  Department  has  recently  precipitated  the  precise  trouble 
that  should  be  avoided,  and  then  called  on  the  Division  Commander  to 
take  sides  in  a  row  that  should  never  have  occurred  had  the  sergeant 
placed  the  general  good  above  his  personal  pleasure  and  convenience. 
This  sergeant  entered  a  theater,  as  he  undoubtedly  had  a  legal  right  to  do, 
and  precipitated  trouble  by  making  it  possible  to  allege  race  discrimina- 
tion in  the  seat  he  was  given.  He  is  strictly  within  his  legal  rights  in 
this  matter,  and  the  theater  manager  is  legally  wrong.  Nevertheless  the 
sergeant  is  guilty  of  the  GREATER  wrong  in  doing  ANYTHING,  NO 
MATTER  HOW  LEGALLY  CORRECT,  that  will  provoke  race  animosity. 

"3.  The  Division  Commander  repeats  that  the  success  of  the  Division 
with  all  that  success  implies,  is  dependent  upon  the  good  will  of  the 
public.  That  public  is  nine-tenths  white.  White  men  made  the  Division, 
and  they  can  break  it  just  as  easily  if  it  becomes  a  trouble  maker. 

"4.  All  concerned  are  again  enjoined  to  place  the  general  interest 
of  the  Division  above  personal  pride  and  gratification.  Avoid  every 
situation  that  can  give  rise  to  racial  ill-will.  Attend  quietly  and  faith- 
fully to  your  duties,  and  don't  go  where  your  presence  is  not  desired. 

"5.     This  will  be  read  to  all  organizations  of  the  92d  Division. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  Ballon: 

(Signed)     "Allen  J.   Greer. 
"Lieutenant   Colonel,   General   Staff, 

"Chief  of  Staff." 

Commenting  in  an  editorial  of  the  issue  of  April  13,  1918, 
upon  the  order  as  issued  by  General  Ballon,  The  Advocate,  a 
colored  newspaper  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  printed  the  following: 

GENERAL  BALLOU 'S  ORDER. 

Major  General  Ballon  has  just  issued  an  order  to  the  Colored  men  of 
his  division  which  is,  to,  say  the  least,  "extry." 

In  part,  the  order  calls  for  the  exercise  of  care  on  the  part  of  the 
commissioned  and  non-commissioned  officers  and  men  of  the  division  in 
shunning  places  where  they  have  reason  to  believe  that  their  presence  will 
be  resented.  It  is  an  apparent  appeal  "for  lessening  the  "racial  issue" 
controversies. 

The  order  might  possibly  be  considered  "perfectly  harmless"  and  of 
the  "vaudeville  type"  of  monologues  if  it  were  not  for  the  paragraph, 
"White  men  made  possible  the  division,  and  white  men  can  break  it  up." 

We  expected  better  than  this  of  Major  General  Ballon  in  this  day  of 


TREATMENT  OF  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  IN  CAMP  99 

bitter  warfare  when  the  President  is  ealling  upon  all  America — white 
and  black,  we  presnme — to  rally  to  the  Flag  and  help  to  crush  "the  foe 
of    humanity." 

We  can  only  urge  our  race  to  forgive  General  Ballou,  "he  knows  not 
what  he  says." 

WE  ABE  NOT  IN  FAVOB  OF  TUE  MEN  OF  ANY  DIVISION 
SEEKING  TO  STIR  UP  ''RACIAL  STRIFE."  We  feel  that  NOW  IS 
NOT  THE  TIME  for  injecting  any  such  issue  into  the  already  over- 
crowded portfolio  of  Uncle  Sam. 

Let  us  help  "lick  the  Kaiser"  FIRST  and  then  thrash  out  our  local 
difficulties. 

We  do  not  want  to  be  classed  in  the  President's  list  of  "creatures  of 
pa.ssion,  disloyalty  and  anarchy,"  therefore  let  us  say  "shoo  fly"  to 
General   Ballou 's    "undiplomatic    paragraph." 

Now,  all  together — let's  get  the  Kaiser! 

Many  similar  expressions  of  resentment  appeared  in  the 
Negro  press. 

A  news  report,  sent  oijt  shortly  after  the  issuance  of  the  BaUou 
Bulletin  No.  35,  preliminaiy  to  the  publication  of  a  letter  sent  by 
General  Ballou  to  me,  in  response  to  my  request  for  a  statement 
that  might  give  the  purpose  that  prompted  the  Commander  of  the 
92d  Division  to  issue  the  bulletin,  said: 

"It  transpires  that  while  Major  General  0.  C.  Ballou,  of  the  92d 
Division,  was  addressing  the  men  under  him  through  Bulletm  No.  35, 
he  was  at  the  same  time  pressing  the  prosecution  of  the  theatrical  manager 
who  had  discriminated  against  a  sergeant  of  the  Division. 

"The  prosecution  of  the  manager  of  the  Wareham  Theatre  for  dis- 
crimination on  account  of  color,  instigated  at  General  Ballou 's  request, 
was,  after  being  twice  continued,  tried  in  Police  Court  at  Manhattan, 
Kansas,  a  few  days  ago,  and  resulted  in  the  conviction  of  the  defendant 
and  the  imposition  of  $10  and  costs.  It  is  generally  assumed  that  the 
conviction  of  the  theatrical  manager  ^vill  serve  to  prevent  a  repetition 
of  the  offense,  and  will  deter  other  theater  owners  and  managers  from 
making  discrimination  on  account  of  color.  General  Ballou  followed  the 
same  course  here  as  he  did  at  the  Officers  Training  School  at  Des  Moines, 
Iowa,  last  summer,  namely :  while  admonishing  his  men  to  refrain  from 
precipitating  racial  disturbances,  to  prosecute  those  who  should  discrimi- 
nate against  his   men." 

General  Ballou 's  letter  to  the  author  said: 


100  .     SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Headquarters  92d  Division, 
Camp  Funston,  Kansas,  April  22,  1918. 
My  Dear  Mr.  Scott: 

I  have  your  request  that  I  make  a  brief  statement  relative  to  Bulletin 
No.  35,  these  Headquarters.  There  seems  to  be  no  good  reason  why  I 
should  not  do  so. 

Here  are  the  preliminary  facts: 

A  soldier  of  this  Division  got  into  trouble  with  a  theater  manager  at 
Manhattan  and  reported  it  to  me.  I  at  once  ordered  an  investigation, 
placed  the  facts  before  the  Division  Judge  Advocate  and  was  informed  by 
him  that  the  theater  manager  had  violated  the  law.  I  then  put  the  case 
in  the  hands  of  the  United  States  Attorney  and  requested  the  prosecution 
of  the  theater  manager.  The  case  was  set  for  April  22d.  I  then  issued 
Bulletin  No.  35,  which,  in  brief,  is  counsel  to  my  soldiers  to  avoid  race 
troubles.  This  Bulletin  was  given  out  to  the  colored  press  of  the  country, 
accompanied  by  an  entirely  misleading  letter  that  not  only  completely 
suppressed  all  mention  of  any  prosecution  of  the  theater  manager,  but 
directly  and  falsely  conveyed  the  impression  to  editors  and  readers  that 
I  had  not  done  so.  The  most  prejudiced  person  will,  I  think,  at  once  see 
that  this  was  a  malicious  attempt  to  stir  up  race  feeling  by  misrepre- 
sentation. 

GOOD    ORDER    AND    MILITARY    DISCIPLINE    FOUNDATION    STONES. 

The  character  of  Bulletin  No.  35  was  that  of  advice,  as  already  stated. 
This  advice  was  ordered  published  to  the  Division.  It  had  nothing  to  do 
with  any  policy  of  segregation,  or  with  any  policy  outside  of  the  military 
establishments.  Its  purpose  was  to  prevent  race  friction,  with  the  attendant 
prejudice  to  good  order  and  military  discipline.  Good  order  and  military 
discipline  are  the  foundation  stones  of  the  military  service.  They  are 
indispensable.  Nothing  connected  with  the  service  of  the  colored  troops 
has  ever  been  so  threatening  to  good  order  and  discipline  as  race  troubles 
have  been,  and  it  is  well-known  that  our  enemies  have  sought  to  profit  by 
this  fact  ever  since  there  was  a  prospect  of  war.  No  stone  has  been  left 
unturned.  There  have  always  been  foes  of  our  country  ready  to  aggravate 
the  grievances  of  the  colored  people  on  the  one  hand  and  to  stir  up  the 
whites  on  the  other.  It  was  no  mere  coincidence  that  the  East  St.  Louis 
atrocities  occurred  in  a  city  filled  largely  with  German  sympathizers. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  same  influence  egged  on  both  whites 
and  blacks  at  Houston.  Most  troubles  have  small  beginnings.  At  Houston 
they  grew  from  the  fact  of  colored  soldiers  entering  cars  reserved  for 
whites,  and  other  similar  matters.  Great  wrongs  were  eventually  committed 
on  both  sides,  culminating  in  the  killing  of  a  score  or  more  of  white  people 


TREATMENT  OF  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  IN  CAI^IP  101 

and  the  hanging  of  thirteen  Negroes.  In  the  midst  of  all  the  feeling  and 
excitement  caused  by  the  East  St.  Louis  and  Houston  troubles,  the  colored 
officers'  training  camp  at  Fort  Des  Moines  won  golden  approbation  all 
over  the  United  States,  made  thousands  of  friends  for  the  colored  race 
and  achieved  a  glorious  success.  It  did  all  of  this  by  following  precisely 
the  advice  that  was  repeated  to  the  92d  Division  in  Bulletin  No.  35. 
"by  their  fruits  ye  sh.vll  know  them." 

Our  enemies  do  not  wish  the  United  States  to  have  its  military  power 
increased  by  colored  soldiers,  and  they  stand  ready  to  add  fuel  to  every 
race  discord  in  order  to  embarrass  our  country  as  much  as  possible  in  this 
war.  Is  it  any  wonder  then,  in  view  of  what  the  enemy  has  accomplished 
in  the  past  and  is  seeking  to  accomplish  again,  that  the  Commander  of 
the  colored  Division  seeks  to  nip  troubles  in  the  bud,  and  while  prosecuting 
white  men  for  their  offences  against  his  soldiers,  urges  the  soldiers  to  do 
their  part  to  keep  the  peace  and  promote  harmony. 

I  have  shown  that  my  position  and  action  were  deliberately  and 
maliciously  misrepresented  to  the  colored  people  by  the  suppression  of  the 
ncAvs  of  my  prompt  prosecution  of  the  theater  manager,  and  by  falsely 
conveying  the  impression  that  I  had  taken  no  such  action.  The  entire 
letter  that  accompanied  Bulletin  No.  35  to  the  press  of  the  colored  people 
was  a  misrepresentation  of  my  attitude  and  of  the  facts  in  the  case,  and 
no  fair-minded  person,  when  the  facts  are  known,  as  stated  above,  can  fail 
to  see  the  work  of  an  enemy — an  enemy  of  our  country  and  an  even 
greater  enemy  to  the  colored  race.  Is  the  colored  race  going  to  "fall" 
for  such  schemes?  I  think  not.  I  think  they  will  contrast  the  work  of 
the  trouble-maker  with  the  solid  achievements  of  the  colored  officers'  training 
camp  at  Fort  Des  Moines  and  of  the  92nd  Devision,  and  consider  thought- 
fully the  words — "By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 

Sincerely, 

C.  C.  Ballou, 
Major-General,  Commanding  92d  Division. 

Baker  Against  Discrimination 

Early  in  the  summer  of  1918,  a  flood  of  complaints  reached 
the  War  Department  from  many  of  the  camps,  the  burden  of  which 
was  that  the  Negro  soldiers  were  being  grossly  mistreated  by  their 
white  officers,  ofttimes  physically  assaulted,  called  by  names  that 
were  highly  insulting— such  as  '^ nigger,"  ''coon,"  ''darkey,"  and 
worse,  and  that  the  colored  men  were  forced  to  work  under  the 
most  unhealthy  and  laborious  conditions,  with  a  certain  penalty 


102  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  long  periods  of  imprisonment  in  guard-houses  and  stockade  and 
other  cruel  and  unusual  punishments  if  they  dared  to  resent  any 
indignity  or  failed  to  perform  ''impossible"  tasks.  In  many 
cases,  it  was  alleged,  opportunity  for  advancement  was  refused  to 
colored  men  of  ability,  and  all  the  assignments  worth  while  were 
given  to  white  men,  some  of  whom  had  doubtful  qualifications. 

Besides  the  complaints  growing  out  of  unfair  treatment  of 
colored  men  in  the  camps  numerous  instances  of  unequal  standards 
and  straightout  discrimination  in  the  operation  of  the  selective 
draft  law  were  reported  as  being  practiced  by  the  draft  officials 
in  several  States,  particularly  in  the  South.  The  claim  was  made, 
and  almost  invariably  substantiated  by  reliable  testimony,  that 
colored  men,  palpably  unfit  for  military  service,  and  others  who 
were  entitled  to  exemption  under  the  law,  were  ''railroaded"  into 
the  army  while  other  men  with  no  legitimate  excuse  for  exemption 
were  allowed  to  escape  the  requirements  of  the  draft  system.  The 
situation  reached  such  a  stage,  by  reason  of  the  growing  disregard 
for  fair  play  and  the  honest  interpretation  of  the  law,  that  Secre- 
tary Baker  felt  called  upon  to  check  the  infractions  by  Exemption 
Boards  and  the  unfair  treatment  of  Negro  soldiers  in  the  camps 
by  issuing  a  clean-cut  statement  to  the  effect  that  "the  War 
Department  w^U  brook  no  discrimination,  based  upon  race  or 
color,"  and  that  all  instances  of  unfairness  in  the  Army  on  this 
score  would  meet  with  speedy  correction,  with  adequate  punish- 
ment for  all  violators  of  the  military  regulations  bearing  on  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  soldiers. 

As  indicating  the  general  attitude  of  some  Army  officers  in 
carrying  out  the  instructions  of  the  War  Department,  there  may  be 
mentioned  the  particular  attitude  of  certain  officers  in  charge  of 
units  of  the  so-called  Labor  Battalions.  The  pressure  from  colored 
Ijeople  throughout  the  country  and  from  other  sources  as  well 
became  so  strong  that  the  War  Department  found  it  necessary  to 
issue  a  certain  memorandum  changing  the  former  decision  (which 
caUed.  for  white  sergeants)  to  a  decision  which  required  that  the 
non-commissioned  officers  in  the  Reserve  Labor  Battalions  should 
be  "all  white  or  all  colored"  instead  of  "white."  The  effect  of 
this  immediately  was  to  eliminate  in  many  camps  the  colored  men 
who  were  serving  as  non-commissioned  officers  and  to   substitute 


TREATMENT  OF  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  IN  CAMP  103 

white  men,  no  matter  how  unfitted  such  white  non-commissioned 
officers  were  for  the  duties  required  of  them.  No  element  con- 
tributed to  more  unrest  among  the  colored  men  who  were  drafted 
than  this  organization  of  Reserve  Labor  Battalions. 

It  was  a  situation  of  this  character  which  inspired  the  uncom- 
promising memorandum  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  the  Special 
Assistant  under  date  of  November  30,  1917,  of  which  this  para- 
graph stands  as  the  ** keynote": 

**As  you  know,  it  has  been  my  policy  to  discourage  discrimina- 
tion against  any  persons  by  reason  of  their  race.  This  policy  has 
been  adopted  not  merely  as  an  act  of  justice  to  all  races  that  go  to 
make  up  the  American  people,  but  also  to  safeguard  the  very 
institutions  which  we  are  now,  at  the  greatest  sacrifice,  engaged  in 
defending,  and  which  any  racial  disorders  must  endanger." 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  same  fundamental  principle  of  simple 
justice  to  all  defenders  of  the  flag  was  reiterated  in  the  interview 
made  public  July  1,  1918,  when  it  seemed  that  the  earlier  procla- 
mation failed  to  prove  as  effective  as  the  Secretary  of  War  had 
hoped  it  would  be  in  wiping  out  color  proscription  in  the  army. 
In  consequence  of  the  firm  stand  of  Secretary  Baker  against  dis- 
crimination against  colored  men  on  the  part  of  draft  boards,  sev- 
eral offending  members  of  these  boards  were  separated  from  their 
positions,  and  in  one  notable  instance,  in  Fulton  County  (Atlanta), 
Georgia,  an  entire  Exemption  Board  was  summarily  removed, 
upon  proof  of  improper  manipulation  of  the  Selective  Draft  Law 
in  its  application  to  colored  registrants. 

In  keeping  with  the  insistence  upon  a  *' square  deal"  for  all, 
there  came  a  marked  improvement  in  the  morale  of  the  camps 
where  much  trouble  had  been  made  for  colored  soldiers  through  the 
petty  meanness  practiced  by  the  so-called  ''Military  Police."  Re- 
ports had  come  into  the  War  Department  in  immense  volume  to 
the  effect  that  there  was  increasing  friction  between  colored  soldiers 
and  the  Military  Police,  in  charge  of  order  and  general  discipline 
in  the  camps.  Colored  soldiers  complained  that  they  were  kept 
more  closely  confined  to  the  camps  than  were  white  soldiers;  that 
they  had  the  gi*eatest  difficulty  in  obtaining  passes  to  go  to  town 
or  to  visit  relatives,  and  that  they  were  punished  more  severely 
than  were  white  soldiers  for  trivial  offenses.     The  ''bad  blood" 


104  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

between  the  *'M.  P."  and  the  colored  soldiers  frequently  led  to  free 
fights,  near  ''race  riots,"  and  the  "rushing"  of  the  guards  in  an 
attempt  to  leave  the  camp,  regardless  of  the  possession  of  passes. 
Wherever  the  blame  may  be  placed  for  these  outbreaks,  a  system- 
atic effort  was  made  to  remedy  the  evils  complained  of,  and  a 
memorandum  from  the  Morale  Branch  of  the  War  Department, 
commenting  upon  the  matter,  carried  the  observation  that:  ''The 
action  that  has  been  taken  at  these  camps,  as  reported  to  this  office, 
indicates  that  a  genuine  effort  has  been  made  to  correct  any 
abuses  that  may  have  existed." 

A  further  evidence  of  the  potency  of  the  rigid  policy  of  the 
War  Department  to  stamp  out  as  far  as  w^as  possible  the  evil  of 
race  prejudice  on  the  part  of  officers  in  their  relation  to  colored 
soldiers,  is  found  in  the  case  of  Captain  Eugene  C.  Rowan,  of  the 
162d  Depot  Brigade,  with  headquarters  at  Camp  Pike,  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas.  Upon  positive  proof,  adduced  by  evidence  given  before 
a  court-martial.  Captain  Rowan  was  found  guilty  of  wilful  dis- 
obedience of  the  orders  of  a  superior  officer  and  was  ordered  by 
the  War  Department  to  be  dismissed  from  the  ser\nce.  The  case 
attracted  more  than  ordinary  attention  because  of  the  fact  that  it 
was  the  first  instance  wherein  the  color  question  had  figured  in  an 
action  against  a  white  officer  of  the  Army,  in  a  National  Army 
court  of  inquiry.  Captain  Rowan  was  charged  with  having  refused 
to  obey  an  order  issued  by  the  Brigade  Commander,  Colonel  Fred- 
erick B.  Shaw,  calling  for  a  troop  formation,  because,  it  was  as- 
serted, both  colored  and  white  soldiers  were  included  in  the  forma- 
tion. The  defense  attempted  to  justify  Captain  Rowan  in  his 
disobedience  of  explicit  military  orders  on  the  ground  that  he  was 
a  native  of  Georgia,  had  long  resided  in  Mississippi,  and  that  in 
keeping  with  his  own  personal  feelings  and  a  definite  promise  made 
to  his  men,  he  did  not  desire  to  give  any  order  that  would  compel 
white  men  to  "lower  their  self-respect."  The  dismissal  of  Captain 
Rowan  followed  his  conviction  by  the  court-martial,  and  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Army  tribunal  was  promptly  sustained  by  the  War 
Department  at  Washington. 

A  number  of  other  cases  are  on  record  where  white  officers 
were  separated  from  the  service  for  discrimination  against  colored 
soldiers  and  for  unwarranted  acts  of  cruelty  in  dealing  with  them. 


CHAPTER  IX 

EFFORTS  TO  rMPROVE  CONDITIONS 

Secretary  Baker  and  the  Trying  Situation  at  Camp  Lee,  Virginia — 
Reports  on  Investigations  at  Numerous  Camps — Improved  Con- 
ditions Brought  About  Gradually — Help  for  Colored  Draftees — 
The  Case  of  Lieutenant  Tribbett  and  Similar  Cases  of  Race 
Prejudice. 


From  Secretary  of  War — Memorandum  for  Mr. 

Scotl. 

Should    you    not    go    personally    to 

Camp    Lee    and    investigate?      Then    I 

can  go  and  finish  the  job. 

Baker. 

The  attitude  of  Secretary  Baker  toward  a  trying  situation  at 
Camp  Lee,  Petersburg,  Virginia,  and  his  vigorous  handling  of  the 
charges  of  racial  discrimination  that  were  rife  at  that  military 
station,  was  significant  of  his  consistent  policy  with  respect  to  the 
colored  soldiers  throughout  the  entire  war  period.  The  above  mem- 
orandum was  sent  to  the  Special  Assistant  by  the  Secretary  about 
the  last  of  November,  1917,  in  response  to  a  report  which  the 
former  had  made  to  him  touching  the  conditions  complained  of  at 
Camp  Lee,  and  which  had  formed  the  basis  of  the  longer  memoran- 
dum, making  known,  in  language  unequivocal  and  of  extraordinary 
force,  the  Secretary's  antagonism  to  all  practices  of  discrimination 
in  the  Army  based  on  race  or  color. 

At  Camp  Lee  there  was  much  dissatisfaction  among  the  colored 
soldiers.  The  reports  which  came  to  hand  embodied  the  universal 
complaint  that  ''the  whole  atmosphere  in  regard  to  the  colored 
soldier  at  Camp  Lee  is  one  which  does  not  inspire  him  to  greater 
patriotism,  but  rather  makes  him  question  the  sincerity  of  the  great 
war  principles  of  America."  The  efficiency  of  the  War  Department 
was  interfered  with,  it  was  stated,  because  of  this  unwholesome 
atmosphere.    The  colored  soldiers  were  compelled  to  work  at  menial 

105 


106  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

tasks,  regardless  of  their  educational  equipment  or  aspirations  for 
higher  duties,  and  discontent  reigned  because  it  was  said  the  white 
soldiers  were  given  genuine,  intensive  military  training,  while  Ne- 
groes were  not  given  enough  drilling  to  give  them  the  simplest  rudi- 
ments of  real  soldier  life  and  were  not  permitted  to  fire  a  gun.  The 
statement  was  made  that  if  the  Negroes  were  allowed  to  be  trained 
for  combatant  service,  as  white  soldiers  were,  thousands  v,^ould  be 
inspired  to  enter  the  work  more  whole-heartedly,  and  the  Labor 
Battalions  would  also  show  a  larger  measure  of  efficiency  by  the 
inculcation  of  a  feeling  that  colored  men  were  getting  a  ''square 
deal."  Not  a  few  of  the  men  asserted  plainly  that  it  was  useless  for 
colored  men  to  try  to  improve  themselves  at  Camp  Lee,  as  white 
officers  openly  admitted  to  them  that  sergeants  and  an  occasional 
sergeant-major  was  as  high  as  the  Negro  might  hope  to  reach,  no 
matter  what  might  be  his  intellectual  attainments  or  executive 
ability. 

Mr.  C.  H.  Williams,  of  the  Hampton  Institute,  Virginia,  a  young 
colored  man  of  superior  training,  was  designated  by  the  Committee 
on  Welfare  of  Negro  Troops  of  the  War  Time  Conmiission  of  the 
Federal  Council  of  Churches  to  visit  all  the  cities  where  military 
camps  were  located,  to  make  a  survey  of  conditions  as  they  affect 
colored  troops.  Under  an  arrangement  he  filed  with  the  Special 
Assistant  a  copy  of  each  of  his  reports,  so  that  they  might  be  fol- 
lowed up  from  time  to  time  inside  of  the  War  Department  so  as 
to  change  conditions  where  necessary.  Mr.  Williams  sought  to 
get  the  exact  facts  as  to  the  feeling  of  the  colored  soldiers  as  well 
as  of  the  colored  population  in  the  camp  cities,  and  as  he  went  from 
one  part  of  the  countiy  to  the  other  he  also  got  a  line  on  Negro 
public  opinion  generally.  Practically  all  the  camps  and  canton- 
ments where  colored  troops  were  located  were  visited  by  him  as 
well  as  by  the  Special  Assistant. 

Mr.  Williams  submitted  a  survey  of  conditions  as  they  existed. 
His  survey  included  inquiry  into  the  social  and  religious  conditions 
and  the  state  of  mind  of  the  colored  troops  generally  and  made 
recommendations  as  to  the  steps  that  should  be  taken  to  bring 
about  a  correction  of  the  ills  complained  of.  At  some  points  he 
found  the  situation  fair,  in  others  not  good,  and  in  many  it  was 
inexcusablv  bad.    All  of  this  had  to  do  in  the  most  direct  fashion 


EFFORTS  TO  IMPROVE  CONDITIONS  107 

with  the  morale  of  the  colored  soldiers,  and  hence  the  remedy  to  be 
sought  for  the  unfavorable  circumstances  indicated  in  Mr.  Wil- 
liams's reports  was  regarded  by  the  Special  Assistant  as  a  mission 
of  the  highest  and  most  pressing  importance. 

COMPLAINTS   LODGED    BY    COLORED   SOLDIERS   IN    CAMP 

"Discrimination  as  to  the  issuance  of  passes  to  leave  the  camps — that 
white  soldiers  were  allowed  to  go  at  will,  while  Negroes  were  refused 
permission   to   leave. 

"Unfair  treatment,  of  times  brutality,  on  the  part  of  Military  Police. 

"Inadequate   provision  for  recreation. 

"Unfair  treatment,  ofttimes  brutality,  on  the  part  of  Military  Police, 
and  denial  of  the  enjoyment  of  privileges  in  the  huts,  where  colored  huts 
had  not   been  provided. 

"White  non-commissioned  officers  over  colored  units,  when  the  colored 
men  were  of  a  higher  intellectual  plane  than  the  whites  who  commanded 
them. 

"Lack  of  opportunity  for  educated  Negroes  to  rise  above  non-com- 
missioned officers  in  the  Reserve  Labor  Battalions. 

"Confinement  to  the  guard  house  for  long  periods  and  compelled  to 
pay  heavy  penalties  for  minor  infractions  of  the  rules  of  camp,  or  for 
disobedience   of   unreasonable   commands. 

"Frequently,  lack  of  proper  medical  attention  and  treatment. 

"Negro  soldiers  compelled  to  work  at  menial  tasks,  and  denied  suffi- 
cient drill  work  and  not  allowed  training  in  manual  of  arms  and  denied 
an  opportunity  to  fire  a  gun,  in  many  instances. 

"Insufficient  number  of  Hostess  Houses — especially  in  the  earlier 
stages  of  the  war.  Insufficient  number  of  chaplains  in  most  camps,  in 
earlier  stages  of  the  war.  Never  enough  of  either  of  these  helpful  agencies 
at  any  stage  of  the  war. 

"Slow  discharge  of  colored  men  in  labor  battalions  after  tho 
armistice. 

"At  more  than  one  camp — Humphreys  notably — colored  men  had 
practically  no  sanitary  conveniences,  bathing  facilities,  barracks,  mess 
halls,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  service,  during  the  war  period,  until  after  white 
soldiers  had  left  the  station. 

"Use  of  abusive  language  to  the  colored  soldiers  by  white  officers  and 
calling  them  by  opprobrious  names. 

"Working  with  ci^^lians,  soldiers  getting  $30  per  month,  and  the 
civilian,  doing  identical  work,  getting  from  $3.50  to  $5.00  per  diem. 

"Too  many  tent  camps  for  Negroes,  while  whites  are  given  barracks. 


108  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

"Reluctance  of  white  officers  to  recommend  colored  men  for  induction 
into  the   Officers'   Training   Camps. 

"Slen  with  venereal  diseases  not  segregated  in  the  matter  of  washing 
mess  kits  and  general  use  of  camp  facilities  from  those  not  so  infected. 

"During  winter  of  1917-18,  general  complaint  was  made  of  insuffi- 
cient clothing,  shortage  in  supply  of  overcoats,  inadequate  bedding,  and 
tents  without  flooring  and  ofttimes  situated  in  wet  places,  where  ice  formed 
in  winter  and  where  mud  and  malaria  flourished  at  other  times.  A  state- 
ment came  from  Camp  Alexander,  Va.,  that  during  the  winter  of  1917-18 
men  died  like  sheep  in  their  tents,  it  being  a  common  occurrence  to  go 
around  in  the  morning  and  drag  men  out  frozen  to  death.  It  took  a  long 
time  for  this  situation  to  get  to  the  authorities,  but  when  it  did  get  to  the 
proper  officials,  steps  were  taken  to  correct  the  trouble. 

"Men  pronounced  unfit  for  overseas  service,  and  often  in  cases  where 
they  were  unfit  for  any  kind  of  military  duty,  were  kept  at  the  camps 
and  forced  to  work. 

"Alleged  essential  labor  required  at  many  stations  on  Sundays. 

"Made  to  work  in  rain  and  cursed  when  any  dissatisfaction  was 
shown.  'Gotten  even  with'  by  commanders  if  report  was  made  of  con- 
ditions to  higher  officers  or  to  outsiders. 

"Promise  of  officials  to  muster  out  first  the  men  in  tent  camps  not 
promptly  kept. 

"Passes  refused  colored  men,  even  when  messages  of  critical  illness 
of  parents  or  near  relatives  had  been  received." 

The  Camp  Lee  situation  being  of  a  piece  with  the  conditions 
obtaining  at  most  of  the  army  stations  where  colored  men  were 
located,  it  may  be  dwelt  upon  at  length  to  illustrate  the  plan  of 
research  and  operation  which  was  adopted  to  ameliorate  the  ills 
that  were  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Special  Assistant  and  laid 
before  the  Secretary  of  A¥ar,  with  suggestions  and  recommendations 
looking  toward  a  speedy  betterment. 

Letters  were  sent  to  the  War  Department  by  the  men  and  com- 
munications of  the  same  tenor  doubtless  went  outside  to  their 
friends.  Telegrams  and  protests  were  received  from  representatives 
of  several  colored  protective  organizations,  prominent  ministers, 
leading  editors,  .college  heads,  and  men  of  affairs  generally,  and 
other  communications  sent  to  them  were  forwarded  to  me  in  Wash- 
ington, asking  that  vigorous  action  be  taken  to  assist  in  the  un- 
raveling of  the  problem  confronting  the  men  at  Camp  Lee.  One 
very  urgent  letter  was  sent  by  the  Governor  of  a  State,  intimating 


EFFORTS  TO  IMPROVE  CONDITIONS  109 

that  he  was  oonfident  that  discriminations  against  colored  soldiers 
were  practiced  at  Camp  Lee,  but  declared  it  to  be  his  belief  that 
this  was  without  the  knowledge  of  the  War  Department.  **I  re- 
spectfully request  that  you  make  an  investigation  of  the  situation 
there  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,"  concluded  the  Governor. 
These  very  timely  requests  were  most  cheerfully  complied  with. 

That  an  improved  state  of  affairs  was  brought  about  at  Camp 
Lee  is  evidenced  by  a  report  submitted  to  the  Special  Assistant 
under  date  of  February  20,  1919,  by  Louis  L.  Watson,  Jr.,  of  603 
L  Street,  Southeast,  Washington,  D.  C,  formerly  Captain  of  In- 
fantry, United  States  Army,  after  an  exhaustive  inquiry,  covering 
every  phase  of  Army  life  at  that  point,  in  its  relation  to  the  treat- 
ment of  the  Negro  and  the  opportunities  afforded  him. 

Captain  Watson,  at  the  outset  of  his  communication,  refers  to 
*'the  evolution  of  a  somewhat  equitable  military  regime,  as  far  as 
the  races  are  concerned,"  which  has  a  decidedly  hopeful  ring,  and 
which  hope  is  given  quite  a  considerable  realization  before  his  final 
paragraph  is  reached.  Noting  his  observations  as  "a  race  man 
on  the  scene,  seeking  to  correct  the  most  flagrant  violations  of 
military  law,"  and  his  purpose  to  "get  things  done,"  rather  than  to 
pile  up  dry  statistics,  Captain  Watson  concluded  his  introduction 
by  saying:  "The  following  recapitulation,  however,  is  quite  true 
in  the  large,  and  inclusive  of  camp  improvements  loorked  out  in  the 
last  five  months.    I  hope  you  may  find  it  of  value." 

Captain  Watson's  "Recapitulation" 

Said  Captain  Watson,  in  recapitulating  the  results  that  had 
been  secured  at  Camp  Lee  in  the  five  months  of  intensive  inquiry 
and  practical  reformatory  effort: 

"Until  about  the  middle  of  July,  1918,  there  had  been  several  colored 
officers  at  Camp  Lee,  but  none  had  remained  for  more  than  twenty-four 
hours.  Then  came  Lieut.  Myron  McAdoo,  commissioned  second  lieutenant 
from  the  ranks  of  the  9th  Ohio.  He  was  assigned  to  the  13th  Battalion 
Replacements  Training  Center  to  serve  with  white  officers  until  the  15th 
of  August,  when  five  first  lieutenants  and  three  second  lieutenants,  colored, 
were  assigned  to  the  outfit — 1st  Lieuts.  Allan  Turner,  Frank  M.  Gooduer, 
Chas  E.  Roberts,  G.  Cleveland  Morrow  and  Louis  L.  Watson,  Jr.,  and 
2nd  Lieuts.  Leonidas  H.  Hall,  Joseph  L.  Johnson,  Gloucester  A.  Price. 
IMoreover,  until  this  time  there  had  been  relatively  few  non-commissioned 


110  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

officers,  colored,  in  the  camp  and  a  large  percentage  of  these  were  corporals 
of  little  ability  or  promise.  It  was  characteristic  of  white  officers  to 
ignore  men  of  ability  and  to  make  non-commissioned  officers  of  the 
illiterate  funny  fellows  who  could  furnish  entertainment  for  them  in  the 
orderly  room  with  their  antics  and  shameful  ignorance.  But  what  was 
even  worse  than  this  came  the  report  that  in  other  sections  of  the  camp, 
where  there  were  not  even  non-commissioned  officers  of  this  caliber,  white 
officers  were  inflicting  bodily  punishment  upon  ignorant  enlisted  men  of 
color.  This  of  course  is  contrary  to  all  military  law  and  custom.  As  far 
as  I  know,  however,  none  of  this  happened  after  the  colored  officers  came 
to  camp. 

"The  colored  officers  immediately  launched  a  discreet  educational 
campaign  to  combat  this  condition.  Their  presence  alone  did  much  to 
put  a  stop  to  this  practice,  but  the  fact  that  they  used  considerable  tact 
in  spreading  knowledge  of  the  law  in  such  cases,  did  even  more.  It 
became  apparent  almost  immediately  that  colored  enlisted  men  were 
growing  cognizant  of  their  right  to  redress  and  the  way  to  get  it,  and 
ill-treatment  reduced  itself  to  the  personal  factor  entirely,  which  is  not 
illegality  so  much  as  it  is  inefficiency  in  handling  men,  and  not  politic. 

"At  the  same  time  the  colored  officers  set  out  to  get  more  non- 
commissioned officers  worthy  of  their  rank,  by  a  careful  selection  and 
promotion  of  the  men  in  the  four  companies  of  the  battalion.  This  being 
the  only  combatant  organization  of  colored  men  in  the  camp  it  took  the 
lead  in  efficient  colored  non-commissioned  officers.  The  efficiency  of  these 
men  was  highly  commendable. 

"In  view  of  the  prevalent  antagonistic  public  sentiment  against  the 
ris-e  of  colored  men  in  these  parts  the  promotion  of  four  colored  First 
Lieutenants  to  Captaincy  on  the  10th  of  September,  1918,  and  their  subse- 
quent assignment  to  the  command  of  the  companies  of  the  Battalion  with 
a  commissioned  personnel  of  an  average  of  ten  white  first  and  second 
lieutenants,  including  the  former  company  commanders,  is  nothing  short 
of  marvelous,  /  sliall  not  rccotint  in .  detail  your  work  in  hringing  this 
condition  about  except  to  say  tJint  your  investigation  in  tliis  matter  alone 
proved  to  officials  in  the  camp  that  colored  men  could  get  a  liearing  in  tlie 
War  Department,  and  it  would  not  be  good  policy  to  violnte  the  integrity 
of  their  office  with  prejudicial  treatment  of  colored  officers  and  enlisted  men 
under  their  command.  The  Battalion  had  on  an  average  of  forty  white 
first  and  second  lieutenants  serving  in  companies  under  colored  captains. 
These  officers  were  from  almost  all  walks  of  life.  Among  them  were  a 
lawyer  and  school  teacher  from  Alabama,  a  light-weight  pugilist  from 
Louisiana,    an    owner    of   orange    groves    from    Florida,    a    ranchman    from 


EFFORTS  TO  IMPROVE  CONDITIONS  111 

T!^:ca*s,  a  coalmine  owner  formerly  from  Virginia,  and  several  stockbrokers, 
{'(intraetors,  electrical  engineers,  merchants,  graduate  and  undergraduate 
students  of  the  large  Eastern  and  V/estern  Universities,  as  well  as  two 
"movie"  actors,  one  principal  of  a  Pennsylvania  high  school,  and  the  son 
of  a  classmate  of  the  great  Gen.  Joffre.  Most  of  these  officers  were 
originally  from  the   South. 

"Of  the  company  commanders,  one  had  done  twenty-four  years  and 
another  eleven  years  in  the  Regular  Army,  while  the  other  two  were  from 
civil  life,  one  a  graduate  from  Massachusetts  State  College  and  the  other 
a  graduate  of  Hov/ard  University.  The  Battalion  Commander  was  a 
criminal  lawyer  with  a  large  practice  in  Shreveport,  Louisiana.  All 
worked  together  and  made  the  Battalion  the  most  efficient  and  the  most 
praised  organization  in  all  the  Replacements  Camp.  There  was  no  hesi- 
tancy on  the  part  of  the  commanding  officer  to  point  to  the  13th  Battalion 
as  an  example  in  drill,  parade,  and  administration. 

"When  the  13th  Battalion  was  completely  demobilized  and  I  was 
attached  to  the  Ist  Development  Battalion  I  had  the  opportunity  to  observe 
the  working  of  organizations  of  colored  enlisted  personnel  under  the 
command  of  white  oftieers.  I  found  this  organization,  in  contrast  to  the 
13th  Battalion  which  I  had  just  left,  to  be  poorly  disciplined  and  over- 
burdened with  complaints  concerning  mess.  Regulations  were  wholly 
ignored  where  punishments  were  concerned  and  general  dissatisfaction  was 
spread  over  the  entire  outfit.  The  morale  Avas  very  low  among  the 
enlisted  imen  and  the  officers  unconcerned.  From  my  observations  this 
condition  appeared   inexcusable. 

"I  will  conclude  this  resume  with  a  statement  of  several  definite  and 
unbiased  convictions  growing  out  of  my  experience  and  observations: 

"(1)  Colored  officers  show  marked  superiority  over  white  officers  of 
the  same  grade. 

"(2)  A  mixed  organization  of  both  white  and  colored  officers  is  a 
very  efficient  machine  and  works  out  to  perfection  from  a  purely  military 
point  of  view  because  a  man's  race  pride  will  not  allow  him  to  neglect  his 
duty  and  thus  bring  down  criticism  from  officers  of  the  other  race.  Each 
tries  to  excel, 

"(3)  Wherever  it  is  possible  colored  troops  should  have  colored 
officers.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  interests  of  our  troops  are  better 
conserved  by  colored  officers. 

"(4)  Your  eagerness  to  correct  evils  in  the  camp  and  your  effective 
work  m  tlm  regard  Jiave  done  more  tJian  any  otJier  single  factor  to  make 
life  tolerable  for  colored  officers  and  enlisted  men  here.  Assuming  con- 
ditions at  this  camp  to  be  the  average  in  Southern  cantonments  such  an 


112  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

office  as  yours  held  by  a  man  of  the  race  is  indispensable  to  the  welfare  of 
the  colored  soldier.  Very  respectfully, 

(Signed)     Louis  L.   Watson,  Jr., 

Formerly  Capt.  Inf.  U.  S.  A. 

Help  for  Colored  Draftees 

The  National  Medical  Association,  under  the  active  leadership 
of  Dr.  George  E.  Cannon,  of  Jersey  City;  Dr.  A.  M.  Curtis,  of 
Washington,  D.  C. ;  Dr.  A.  M.  Brown,  of  Birmingham,  Alabama ;  Dr. 
E.  T.  Belsaw,  of  Mobile,  Alabama;  Dr.  M.  0.  Dumas,  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  and  Dr.  W.  G.  Alexander,  of  Orange,  New  Jersey,  ex- 
erted a  helpful  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  medical  men  drawn 
in  the  draft.  The  Special  Assistant  took  up  the  cases  of  many 
colored  doctors  who  had  been  drafted  and  assigned  to  service 
battalions  or  as  mere  privates  in  the  infantry  organizations,  with  a 
view  of  having  them  transferred  to  the  Medical  Corps,  where  they 
might  render  a  more  effective  service  to  their  country  along  the 
line  of  their  professional  equipment. 

Another  investigation,  which  may  properly  find  a  place  in  this 
chapter  on  the  treatment  of  colored  soldiers  in  the  camps,  is  that 
which  resulted  in  the  admission  of  colored  draftees,  regardless  of 
the  time  of  their  call,  into  the  training  schools  for  officers.  The 
number  permitted  to  enter  at  the  outset  was  unusually  small,  and 
these  were  restricted  to  draftees  who  had  been  conscripted  prior  to 
January  5,  1918.  The  number  recommended  by  their  camp  com- 
manders was  not  at  all  commensurate  with  the  abilities  of  the  men 
who  desired  to  take  advantage  of  the  Government's  plan  of  develop- 
ing officer  material,  and  was  reported  to  be  so  niggardly  as  to 
amount  almost  to  an  ignoring  of  the  explicit  order  of  the  Secretary 
of  War  that  no  form  of  injustice  or  discrimination  be  practiced 
against  any  soldier  because  of  race  or  color.  There  were  also  per- 
sistent rumors  that  an  attempt  was  being  made  to  promote  white 
non-commissioned  officers  in  Negro  units  to  commissioned  officers, 
which  could  have  no  other  result  than  to  fill  all  of  the  line-officer 
places  with  white  men  and  make  it  impossible  for  a  Negro  non- 
commissioned officer,  no  matter  how  efficient  or  how  intelligent  he 
might  be,  to  rise  above  that  rank.  Another  flood  of  protests  came 
into  the  War  Department  from  colored  men  in  the  army  and  from 
colored  people  everywhere.     Those  in  authority  were  apprised  of 


Above — Biggest  and  fastest  dock  coiislruetiuii  evt-r  dune  was  the  building  of  the  Basseiis  at 
Bordeaux,  Prance,  by  the  American  Army.  Photo  shows  work  under  way.  Practically 
all  materials  had  to  be  shipped  from  America  and  the  work  done  by  American  Labor  Bat- 
talions. 

Below — Photo  shows  that  all  glory  and  credit  of  important  construction  work  in  French  harbors, 
without  which  our  Army  and  Navy  would  have  been  useless,  does  not  belong  to  white  men. 
Picture  shows  members  of  Negro  Labor  Battalion  working  on  harbor  improvements  at 
Bordeaux. 


Above — One  of  the  Docks  at  Bordeaux  Where  Negro  Stevedore  Regiments  Played  a  Vital  Part 
in  the  War  in  Unloading  Supplies  for  Our  Troops.  Transportation  of  supplies  is  just  as 
important  a  part  of  war  as  firing  guns  at  the  enemy.  All  the  armies  in  the  world  could  not 
have  defeated  Germany  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Service  of  Supply,  getting  the  guns,  ammuni- 
tion, equipment  and  food  to  them. 

Below— To  give  an  idea  of  the  enormous  quantities  of  supplies  handled  by  Negro  stevedore  regi- 
ments, here  is  a  photo  of  a  few  cook  stoves  that  came  in  one  shipment. 


Above — On   the   Docks   at   Brest,    another   French   port   where    colored   stevedore   regiments   were 

the  chief  reliance  in  getting  supplies  through  to  the  boys  at  the  front. 
Below — It  took  tens  of  thousands  of  motor  trucks  to  get  supplies  from  docks  to  the  front  in 
France.  These  had  to  be  shipped  from  America  and  here  are  a  few  in  Assembhng  Yard 
at  St.  Nazaire,  France,  with  cases  and  barrels  of  gasoline  and  oil  in  the  foreground.  If  it 
had  not  been  for  Negro  stevedore  regiments,  these  trucks  could  not  have  been  taken  off 
the   ships. 


GROUP    OP    COLORED   OFFICERS 
Reading   left   to   right — Top — 1st  Lt.    Chas.    Lane,    367th   Inf.  ;    Chaplain    E.    H.    Hamilton,    Camp 
Mead;    2nd    Lt.    E.    P.    Sawyer,    367th    Inf.  ,   .   t.     t    w 

Center 1st  Lt.  J.   H.   N.  Waring,  367th  Inf.  ;   2nd  Lt.   R.   W.  Feanng.  367th  Inf.  ;   1st  Lt.   J.  W. 

Bottom — Chaplain    F.    C.    Shirley,    Camp    Mead :    Capt.    Chas.    Garvin,    Med.    Corps,    367th    Inf. ; 
2nd   Lt.   H.   D.   Smith,    Depot   Brig.    Camp   Mead. 


Above — The  Only  Negro  General  Court  Martial  Board  Which  Ever  Existed.  Photograph  shows 
the  General  Court  Martial  of  the  370th  Infantry  (8th  Illinois  National  Guard)  convened 
at  Camp  Logan,  Houston,  Texas.  Officers  in  picture  indicated  by  numbers  following :  1 — Lieut. 
F.  P.  Boss,  2 — Capt.  L.  Jackson,  3 — Capt.  James  C.  Hall,  4 — Capt.  George  M.  Allen,  5 — Major 
(Now  Lieut.  Col.)  Otis  B.  Duncan,  President;  6 — Capt.  Wm.  B.  Crawford,  7 — Lieut.  C.  N. 
Hinton,  8 — Lieut.  Louis  C.  Washington,  9 — Capt.  L.  E.  Johnson,  Counsel  for  Defense ; 
10 — Lieut.  R.  A.  J.  Shaw,  Judge  Advocate;  11 — Court  Reporter  McCarty. 

Below — War  Camp  Community  Service  Club  for  Colored  Soldiers,  Louisville,  Ky. 


"^^**^^^'^'*^^'°T^^lli^iiBlllli^^ 


AlioL(j — \\  hat  real  war  looks  like.  Photograph  of  American  Negro  soldiers  going  into  action  in  the 
attack  on  Cantigny.     American  Infantry  is  co-operating  with  French  tanks. 

Below — In  the  Trenches.  The  smoke  is  from  explosion  of  a  hand  grenade  just  thrown  by  the 
American  Negro  Soldier  at  the  right. 


EFFORTS  TO  IMPROVE  CONDITIONS  lt3 

the  unrest  that  existed.  The  Secretary  of  War  gave  orders  that 
ample  provision  be  made  for  the  induction  of  properly  qualified 
colored  men  into  the  Officers'  Training  Schools.  In  the  end,  train- 
ing camps  for  colored  candidates  for  officers'  commissions  were 
made  available  at  Camp  Taylor  for  field  artillery;  at  Camp  Pike 
for  infantry,  and  at  Camp  Hancock  for  machine  gun  training. 

The  Case  of  Lieutenant  Tribbett 

An  instance  of  the  workings  of  race  prejudice,  in  its  relation  to 
colored  officers,  was  found  in  the  case  of  Lieutenant  Charles  A. 
Tribbett. 

Lieutenant  Tribbett  was  from  New  Haven,  Conn.,  and  was 
graduated  from  the  Officers'  Training  Camp  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
and  assigned  to  duty  with  colored  troops  at  Camp  Upton,  Yap- 
hank,  Long  Island.  While  on  that  duty,  the  records  of  the  War 
Department  show  that  he  was  ordered  to  proceed  by  the  usual 
means  of  transportation  to  the  aniiy  post  at  Fort  Sill,  Okla.,  for 
instruction  in  aviation.  When  the  train  on  which  he  was  traveling 
stopped  at  a  station  near  Chickasha,  Okla.,  it  was  boarded  by  a 
sheriff  and  party,  who  arrested  Tribbett,  who  was  in  regulation 
military  uniform,  for  riding  in  a  car  with  white  people.  In  spite 
of  his  protest  that  he  was  an  officer  of  the  United  States  Army, 
traveling  under  orders,  on  Government  business,  he  was  forcibly 
removed  from  the  car  and  imprisoned  in  the  county  jail,  and  sub- 
sequently fined.  Following  an  appeal  to  the  War  Department, 
Tribbett  was  released  and  permitted  to  resume  his  journey  to  Fort 
Sill,  where  he  resumed  his  military  duties. 

The  matter  was  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment by  Mr.  George  W.  Crawford,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  and  Mr. 
Eobert  L.  Fortune,  of  Chickasha,  Okla.,  who  protested  against  the 
mistreatment  to  which  Lieutenant  Tribbett  had  been  subjected. 
These  well-posted  attorneys  set  up  the  contention  that  as  an  inter- 
state passenger,  traveling  under  orders  on  Government  business, 
he  was  not  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  authorities,  and 
gave  notice  that  they  would  exhaust  every  resource  to  gain  adequate 
redress  for  their  client. 

The  case  was  cited  for  investigation  by  the  Department  of 
Justice,   and  is   still  pending.     Here   was   a   flagrant   instance   of 


114  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

injustice  to  an  officer  of  the  United  States  Army,  in  the  full  uniform 
of  the  military  service,  on  Government  business  and  traveling  on  a 
road  under  Government  supervision.  From  every  viewpoint  it  was 
a  case  for  Federal  intervention.  All  the  available  evidence  seemed 
to  indicate  that  the  arrest  of  Lieutenant  Tribbett  was  an  inexcus- 
able usurpation  of  authority  on  the  part  of  the  civil  officials  of  the 
State  of  Oklahoma,  and  for  this  reason  the  Special  Assistant  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  felt  warranted  in  urging  that  the  whole  matter 
go  to  the  Department  of  Justice  for  adjudication  by  the  Federal 
Government.  General  Ansell,  Acting  Judge  Advocate  General,  who 
has  conducted  a  campaign  against  the  army  system  of  court-martial 
as  being  ** unfair,"  did  not  move  to  have  the  case  of  Lieutenant 
Tribbett  pressed  on  its  merits,  and  therefore  nothing  officially  has 
been  done. 

Treatment  of  Colored  Soldiers  Overseas 
An  important  matter,  in  connection  with  the  treatment  of 
colored  soldiers  in  the  camps,  which  ought  not  to  pass  without 
mention,  was  the  suggestion  made  by  the  Special  Assistant  to  Mr. 
George  Creel,  Director  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Information, 
looking  to  an  investigation  of  conditions  among  colored  soldiers  in 
France.  The  morale  of  the  colored  people  in  America  was  notice- 
ably lowered  by  ugly  rumors  that  came  by  devious  and  winding 
ways  from  abroad,  and  the  Special  Assistant  thought  it  worth  while 
to  have  a  commission  named,  made  up  of  representative  men,  in 
whom  the  masses  had  implicit  confidence,  to  give  this  situation  a 
searching  investigation  and  make  a  full  report  thereon,  to  set  at 
rest  the  uneasiness  and  anxiety  that  was  alamiingly  prevalent 
toward  the  end  of  the  summer  of  1918.  The  mails  and  cables  were 
congested,  and  for  weeks  and  weeks  not  a  word  could  be  had  by 
relatives  at  home  from  their  loved  ones  battUng  for  freedom  and 
democracy  across  the  seas.  The  following  letter  addressed  to  Mr. 
Creel  more  fully  explains  the  motive  which  prompted  the  Special 
Assistant  to  offer  the  suggestion  that  a  special  inquiry  be  made 
and  the  remedy  be  applied: 

Washington,  D.  C,  August  10,  1918. 
Dear  Mr.  Creel : 

Recently  in  a  conference  with  the  head  of  the  Military  Intelligence 
Bureau,  the  matter  was  discussed  of  having  two  or  three  representative 


EFFORTS  TO  IMPROVE  CONDITIONS  115 

colored  men  go  to  France  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  investigation  of 
the  facts  with  respect  to  several  matters  indicated  herein. 

1.  A  military  man  who  is  qualified  to  make  a  free  and  full  investi- 
gation of  the  general  treatment  being  accorded  colored  troops  on  the 
French  and  other  fronts.  There  has  been,  and  still  continues,  considerable 
propaganda  and  rumor  to  the  effect  that  colored  soldiers  are  being  mis- 
treated and  discriminated  against.  Letters  have  come  to  the  Office  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  and  to  me,  the  same  being  forwarded  by  United  States 
Senators  in  some  instances,  etc.,  to  the  War  Department  conveying  these 
complaints.  The  information  which  would  be  secured  first-hand  by  the 
military  man  suggested  would  be  (under  such  direction  as  you  might 
approve)  conveyed  to  the  Negro  people  of  the  United  States  through  the 
Negro  newspapers,  public  meetings,  public  speakers,  the  Committee  of  One 
Hundred  of  the  Public  Speaking  Division,  etc. 

(2)  Two  other  representatives,  not  necessarily  military  men,  but  of 
sound  judgment,  capable  of  studying  the  facts  and  cooperating  with  the 
military  representative,  above  referred  to,  in  making  a  full  report  of  exist- 
ing conditions  abroad  with  respect  to  colored  men  at  the  front  as  well  as  those 
behind  the  lines  (referring  to  service  battalions,  stevedore  regiments,  etc.). 

The  joint  testimony  of  these  men  would  satisfactorily  establish  the 
facts  and  enable  us  to  do  a  good  piece  of  work  in  disposing  of  these 
damaging  rumors  which  are  being  continually  circulated. 

In  this  connection,  I  wish  to  state  that,  at  a  meeting  held  in  New 
York  City,  Monday,  August  5th,  attended  by  officials  of  the  Federated 
Council  of  Churches,  by  a  representative  of  the  Surgeon  General's  Office, 
a  representative  of  the  Military  Intelligence  Bureau,  Mr.  George  Foster 
Peabody  (the  well-known  New  York  philanthropist)  and  others,  including 
the  undersigned — the  same  suggestion  was  made  that  a  commission  of 
colored  men  in  whom  they  have  confidence  be  sent  abroad  for  the  purpose 
of  studying  the  situation  above  indicated,  and  the  matter  was  broached 
by  Mr.  Henry  A,  Atkinson,  of  the  National  Committee  on  Churches  and 
Moral  Aims  of  the  War,  of  New  York  City,  who  expressed  the  opinion 
that  it  would  be  highly  desirable  for  the  Government  to  take  the  initiative 
in  this  matter. 

There  is  more  depressed  morale  among  the  colored  people  than  is 
generally  supposed,  due  to  stories  of  unfair  treatment  of  colored  men  in 
various  camps  in  America  as  well  as  abroad.  Under  the  circumstances. 
I  am  quite  seriously  of  the  opinion  that  such  a  commission  as  herein 
suggested  would  accomplish  very  gi^eat  good. 

An   interview  with   you,   at   your   convenience,    would   be   very   much 


116  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

appreciated.     Will  you  kindly  let  me  hear  from  you.  directly  or  through 
Mr.   Byoir,  Associate   Chairman.  Sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Emmett    J.    Scott, 

Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

The  proposal  outlined  in  the  above  letter  was  given  serious 
consideration  by  Mr.  Creel,  by  the  Morale  Branch  of  the  War 
Department,  and  by  a  number  of  officials  of  the  War  Department, 
who  readily  recognized  the  gravity  of  the  situation  which  confronted 
them,  with  reference  to  the  attitude  of  the  Negro  mind  of  the 
nation  on  this  matter  of  the  treatment  of  colored  soldiers  over- 
seas. There  is  strong  ground  for  the  belief  that  some  steps  of 
the  nature  suggested  would  have  been  taken  by  the  authorities  in 
charge  of  war  operations  had  not  the  conflict  come  to  an  abrupt 
end  in  November,  1918,  many  months  earlier  than  even  the  initiated 
dared  to  hope  for. 

It  is  not  without  the  range  of  probability  that  the  movement, 
already  set  in  motion  by  the  Conference  of  Negro  Editors  and 
Leaders  in  the  preceding  summer,  to  send  to  France  a  competent 
representative  of  the  Negro  press,  to  report  accurately  and  fully 
the  activities  and  conditions  of  the  colored  troops,  received  a 
positive  impetus  by  the  letter  to  Mr.  Creel.  Action  to  relieve  the 
tension  referred  to,  was  apparently  ** speeded  up."  Within  a 
month  after  this  suggestion  that  a  commission  be  appointed  to 
inquire  into  what  the  colored  troops  were  actually  doing  on  the 
battlefields  across  the  water,  Mr.  Ralph  W.  Tyler,  an  experienced 
newspaper  man  of  the  race,  was  on  his  way  to  France  as  the  ac- 
credited representative  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Information, 
commissioned  as  a  war  correspondent  on  the  staff  of  General 
Pershing,  and  directed  to  chronicle  the  labors  and  achievements  of 
the  colored  soldiers.  Later  Dr.  Robert  Russa  Moton,  Principal 
of  Tuskegee  Institute,  as  told  elsewhere,  was  delegated  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States  and  the  Secretary  of  War  to  go 
to  France  on  a  special  mission,  which  had  in  mind  the  promotion 
of  the  welfare  of  the  colored  troops,  and  the  maintenance  of  the 
morale  of  the  Negro  people  in  this  country,  by  taking  them  fully 
into  the  confidence  of  the  Government  on  all  matters  relating  to 
their  sons  who  had  gone  abroad  to  risk  their  lives  in  defense  of 
the  Stars  and  Stripes. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  NEGRO  SOLDIERS  OF  FRANCE  AND  ENGLAND 

French  Colored  Colonials  the  First  Black  Soldiers  to  Take  Part  in 
the  War — The  Story  of  These  Senegalese  Fighters — Their 
Important  Part  from  the  Beginning  of  the  War — The  Fight  for 
the  African  Colonies — German  Employment  of  Negro  Troops  in 
the  Early  Part  of  the  War. 

From  the  very  beginning  of  the  European  war,  in  1914,  soldiers 
of  the  Negro  race  had  a  great  and  growing  share  in  the  fighting. 
For  nearly  three  years  before  America's  entry  into  the  conflict  these 
colored  ''Colonials"  from  the  French  and  British  Colonies  in  Africa 
and  Asia,  had  been  taking  part  in  the  warfare  on  European  soil, 
while  in  the  fierce  but  little  heard  of  campaign  that  resulted  in  the 
crushing  of  German  authority  in  East  Africa,  it  was  the  Negro 
troops  who  bore  the  chief  burden  and  brunt  of  the  fighting. 

At  my  request.  Colonel  Edouard  Requin  of  the  French  Military 
Commission  to  the  United  States,  has  prepared  the  following  state- 
ment of  the  participation  of  French  Negro  troops  in  the  Great  War : 

''France  has  had  colored  troops  ever  since  it  has  had  colonies. 
These  troops  have  participated  in  all  our  expeditions  overseas ; 
they  have  been  the  best  instrument  of  our  colonial  expansion. 
Algerian  troops  (Arabs  and  Kabyles)  fought  in  France  in  1870-71 
against  Germany. 

"But  it  was  for  the  first  time,  in  1914,  that  black  troops  (Sene- 
galese and  Soudanese)  took  part  in  the  European  war  against  an 
enemy  as  redoubtable  as  Germany.  If  it  is  asked  what  have  been 
the  results  of  this  experience  there  is  only  one  answer:  they  have 
been  excellent. 

"The  black  troops  of  Africa  are  grouped  either  by  battalions 
or  by  regiments  with  our  colonial  French  troops.  The  reason  is  that 
the  colonial  officers  understand  them  thoroughly,  and  that  the  men 
themselves,  in  fighting  together  in  the  colonies,  have  acquired  a 
mutual  confidence  in  each  other. 

117 


118  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Recruited  among  the  warrior  tribes  of  Senegales  and  the  Sou- 
dan these  troops  have  great  combatant  qualities.  They  are  partic- 
ularly apt  for  attack  and  counter-attack,  but  they  are  primitive  men 
without  civilization — men  ivho  cannot  be  compared  from  this  point 
of  vieiv  ivith  colored  Americans.  The  black  French  soldiers  are 
excellent  grenadiers,  but  they  are  less  prepared  in  the  use  of  the 
machine  gun  and  the  automatic  rifle,  which  demand  a  certain  mechan- 
ical aptitude.  They  receive  the  same  instructions  as  the  French  sol- 
diers; these  instructions  are  given  to  them  by  white  officers  and 
non-commissioned  officers  who  understand  them  well,  and  who  for 
this  reason  ought  to  be  changed  as  little  as  possible. 

''The  characteristic  of  the  black  soldier  is  an  entire  devotion  to 
these  officers  who  have  merited  it  and  whom  they  will  never  abandon. 
In  other  words,  the  valor  of  the  colored  unit  depends  essentially  on 
grouping  and  leadership. 

"Colored  troops  won  distinction  for  themselves  at  Dixmude  in 
1914;  at  Verdun;  on  the  Somme  in  1917;  on  the  Aisne,  and  more 
recently  still  in  the  counter-attack  which  forced  back  the  Germans 
north  of  Compiegne. 

Salute  Their  Flag  and  Die 

**  These  troops  are  not  only  devoted  to  their  officers,  they  are 
equally  devoted  to  France,  whom  they  serve  most  loyally,  and  to  the 
flag  which  represents  France.  The  following  example  may  be  cited 
as  an  illustration ;  One  day  in  1916,  on  the  Mediterranean,  a  trans- 
port carrying  a  battalion  of  Senegalese  was  torpedoed  by  a  Boche 
submarine.  It  was  impossible  to  save  everybody.  The  last  who 
remained  on  board  lined  the  deck,  saluted  the  flag,  and  went  to  the 
bottom  with  a  discipline  and  a  self-abnegation  which  must  remain 
an  example  to  all  the  world. 

''It  is  because  these  soldiers  are  just  as  brave  and  just  as 
devoted  as  white  soldiers  that  they  receive  exactly  the  same  treat- 
ment, every  man  being  equal  before  the  death  which  all  soldiers  face. 
In  the  French  Army  white  and  black  wounded  soldiers  are  cared 
for  in  the  same  hospital  by  the  same  personnel,  so  that  just  as  we 
have  delivered  these  black  men  from  African  barbarism  so  we  have 
given  them  civilization  and  justice ;  it  is  their  duty  in  turn  to  defend 
among  us  that  justice  and  that  civilization  against  Prussian  bar- 
barism. 


NEGRO  SOLDIERS  OF  FRANCE  119 

**I  recall  a  design  in  the  Parisian  magazine  ' L' Illustration' 
which  represents  a  Senegalese  guarding  some  German  prisoners. 
This  black  soldier  said  mth  a  smile  to  a  visitor  who  approached  to 
see  the  Boche:  'I  suppose  you  have  come  to  see  the  savages,  is  it 
not  so?'  There  was  in  this  irony  which  the  artist  placed  in  the 
black  man's  mouth  an  infinitude  of  truth. 

"There  is  one  difficulty  which  presents  itself  in  connection  with 
colored  French  troops — a  difficulty  which  results  from  the  climate. 
The  blacks  of  Sengal  are  accustomed  to  a  very  hot  climate  and  stand 
our  winters  very  badly,  so  the  French  Command,  anxious  to  con- 
serve their  health,  sends  them  during  the  mnter  to  the  camps  in 
the  south  of  France,  or  to  Algeria.  This  inconvenience,  however,  is 
only  relative ;  for  the  black  soldiers  perfect  their  instructions  in  the 
southern  camp  and  in  spring  once  more  take  their  place  in  combat 
beside  the  white  soldiers. 

"To  sum  up,  it  may  be  said  that,  contrary  to  the  opinion  so 
often  stated  in  times  of  peace  by  the  adversaries  of  the  colonial 
French  expansion  necessary  to  every  modern  state,  the  French 
colonies,  far  from  enfeebling  the  military  effort  of  the  metropolis 
in  face  of  the  common  enemy,  have  on  the  contrary  augmented  that 
power.  Not  a  single  territory  which  we  occupied  in  Africa  or  in 
Asia  has  been  abandoned.  No  serious  revolt  has  been  produced  out- 
side of  a  few  local  agitations  provoked  by  German  agents.  All 
those  colonies  have  given  us  volunteers — Arab,  Kabyles,  Moroccans, 
Tunisians,  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  Senegalese,  Madagascans, 
Somalis,  and  even  Indo-Chinese,  have  come  to  fight  on  French  soil 
in  order  to  defend  the  liberty  of  which  they  have  learned  under  our 
aegis  to  appreciate  all  the  benefits. 

"The  fact  that  certain  countries  like  Morocco,  not  yet  pacified, 
furnish  us  with  soldiers  taken  from  the  faithful  tribes — and  tribes 
that  we  ourselves  fought  only  yesterday — is  one  of  the  most  extraor- 
dinary illustrations  that  could  be  cited. 

"All  this  honors  those  men  who  are  in  charge  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  these  colonies  and  the  methods  which  they  apply  there.  It 
shows  equally  what  prodigious  faculty  of  assimilation  the  French 
possess.  If  one  considers  that  in  North  Africa  the  Mohammedan 
group  has  been  essentially  refractory  to  all  foreign  intervention,  the 
voluntary  participation  of  colored  men  in  the  defense  of  French 


120  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

soil  consecrates  definitely  the  motivating  principles  of  our  colonial 
expansion. 

''It  is  wholly  apart  from  every  question  of  national  interest, 
and  solely  from  the  point  of  view  of  humanity  and  morals  that  the 
role  played  by  France  outside  of  France  itself  received  its  noblest 
justification.  * ' 

The  Negro  Forces  of  Britain 

Less  has  been  heard  of  the  part  played  in  the  war  by  British 
Colonials  of  the  Negro  race.  Before  going  into  further  detail  about 
the  French  Colonials,  let  me  quote  here  an  article  from  the  London 
Spectator,  one  of  the  most  influential  British  journals,  which  gives 
an  excellent  summary  of  the  way  in  which  the  Negro  served  under 
"the  meteor  flag  of  England." 

"Sir  Auckland  Geddes  said  the  other  day  that,  for  every  man 
in  the  Army  who  was  actively  engaged  in  fighting  at  a  given  moment, 
twenty-four  men  were  hard  at  work  in  connection  with  the  war. 
The  statement  illustrated  the  complexity  of  modern  warfare  and 
the  importance  of  the  unarmed  laborer  as  an  assistant  to  the  fight- 
ing man.  In  the  present  war  this  is  generally  understood,  but  it 
was  not  always  so.  When  we  invaded  Crimea  we  had  no  labor  corps. 
The  troops  on  the  plateau  above  Balaclava  through  the  winter  of 
1854-55  starved  within  a  few  miles  of  abundant  supplies  because 
there  was  no  proper  means  of  transport  and  no  road  along  which 
vehicles  could  move  rapidly.  The  General  declared  that  he  could  not 
spare  soldiers  from  the  trenches  for  roadmaking;  the  trenches  were 
indeed  very  thinly  held.  No  one  at  the  AVar  Office  had  foreseen  the 
necessity  of  enlisting  large  gangs  of  laborers  to  keep  the  troops  prop- 
erly fed  and  equipped,  and  it  was  not  till  after  months  of  hardship 
that  a  corps  of  navvies  was  sent  out  to  the  Crimea.  Nowadays  this 
would  be  done  as  a  matter  of  course. 

"It  is  a  common  knowledge  that  there  are  in  France  many 
thousands  of  British  workers  who  never  hear  a  shot  fired,  but  are 
nevertheless  indispensable  to  the  comfort  and  efficiency  of  the  army. 
The  problem  of  finding  labor  for  the  manifold  tasks  that  have  to  be 
performed — not  merely  in  constructing  fortifications,  but  in  making- 
new  roads  and  railways,  in  unloading  ships,  and  in  transporting  the 
stupendous  quantities  of  food,  munitions  and  stores  of  every  kind 
that  a  modern  army  requires — is  as  important  and  difficult  as  any 


NEGRO  SOLDIERS  OP  FRANCE  121 

problem  of  the  war.  The  Germans  have  tried  to  solve  it  by  com- 
pelling the  people  of  the  occupied  territories  to  work  for  them,  but 
this  forced  labor  is  probably  inefficient  as  a  rule  because  the  poor 
slaves  are  ill  fed  and  harshly  treated.  We  have  done  better  because 
we  have  called  on  the  immense  reserves  of  colored  labor  in  the  empire 
to  supply  voluntary  workers,  who  are  w^ell  fed  and  well  paid,  and 
cheerfully  assist  us  in  the  struggle  for  liberty. 

''Sir  Harry  Johnston's  little  book  on  the  part  that  the  colored 
races  are  playing  in  the  war  is  interesting  and  informing,  especially 
from  this  point  of  view.     He  begins  by  reminding  us  that : 

**  'The  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  rules 
more  or  less  directly  some  44,700,000  Africans,  about  1,700,000 
Aframericans  in  the  West  Indies,  Honduras  and  Guiana,  and  about 
338,000  Oceanic  Negroes,  Melanesians  and  Polynesians  in  the  Pacific 
archipelagoes.  And  in  addition  the  Daughter  Nation  of  the  South 
African  Union  governs  another  4,000,000  of  Bantu  Negroes,  Hotten- 
tots and  half  breeds;  lastly,  the  Commonwealth  of  Australia  and 
the  Dominion  of  New  Zealand  are  responsible  for  the  safe  keeping 
and  welfare  of  about  400,000  Papuans,  150,000  Australoids  and 
100,000  Polynesians,  Melanesians  and  Micronesians.' 

"Our  Asiatic  subjects  are  more  than  six  times  as  numerous, 
but  our  fifty-one  million  Negroes  are  not  greatly  inferior  in  numbers 
to  the  sixty-one  million  white  people  within  the  Empire,  and  their 
help,  freely  and  loyally  tendered,  has  been  most  valuable.  The 
author  proves  his  case  by  taking  each  Negro  country  in  turn,  describ- 
ing its  races  and  showing  what  they  have  done  in  the  war.  British 
West  Africa  naturally  comes  first.  Nigeria  alone  contains  over 
sixteen  million  Negroes,  some  of  whom  are  among  the  best  native 
troops  that  we  have.  The  French  Senegalese  battalions  have  done 
magnificent  service  on  the  Western  front,  and  their  southern  neigh- 
bors under  our  rule  have  an  equally  fine  record  in  the  African  cam- 
paigns. The  Hausa  of  Nigeria  and  the  Mandingoes  of  Gambia  and 
Sierra  Leone  make  first-rate  soldiers,  and  have  faced  German  troops 
and  their  machine-gun  fire  without  flinching. 

''Ebrima  Jalu,  a  Mandingo  sergeant-major  in  the  West  African 
Frontier  Force,  received  the  D.  C.  M.  in  1916  for  his  gallantry  in  a 
severe  action  in  the  Cameroons.  When  his  white  officer  had  been 
killed,  he  took  command  of  his  sector  and  directed  the  guns  for  sev- 


122  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

eral  hours  until  another  officer  could  reach  him.  Sergt.-Maj.  Ebrima 
Jalu  is  not  the^  only  hero  of  his  race.  It  is  good  to  know  that  all 
these  West  African  troops,  perhaps  thirty  thousand  in  number,  are 
volunteers,  and  that  they  enlist  with  the  warm  approval  of  their 
people.  We  could  hardly  have  better  testimony  to  the  popularity 
of  British  rule  in  West  Africa  than  the  anecdote  which  Sir  Henry 
Johnston  cites  from  Southern  Nigeria  early  in  the  war: 

^'  'The  people  of  New  Calabar  and  their  hereditary  enemies, 
the  people  of  Okrika,  had  now  sworn  blood  brotherhood  (lest  their 
intertribal  quarrels  should  embarrass  us),  and  had  brought  in 
£1,000 — each  tribe  contributing  £500 — which  they  begged  the  local 
Political  Officer  to  forward  as  a  token  of  personal  loyalty  to  the 
King.  They  wrote  letters  in  broken  English  saying  that  they  wanted 
to  help  in  the  Great  War  because  they  were  grateful  for  having 
such  good  and  kind  rulers.  This  means  a  great  deal  when  one  real- 
izes what  keen,  hard-headed  traders  are  the  few  headmen  \^'ith 
money,  and  how  comparatively  poor  (except  in  foodstuffs)  are  the 
masses  of  the  people.' 

''Attempts  were  made  by  Turkish  agents  to  rouse  the  Moham- 
medans of  Nigeria  against  us,  but  not  even  the  ruling  Fula  caste, 
whom  we  had  to  fight  when  we  took  over  Nigeria,  w^ould  pay  any 
attention  to  these  sedition-mongers. 

"Incidentally  the  author  tells  us  that  the  Negroes  of  German 
East  Africa  are  akin  to  those  of  British  East  Africa  and  Nyasa- 
land,  and  like  them  use  Swahili  as  a  lingua  franca.  They  were  well 
treated  by  Major  von  Wissmann  and  other  early  administrators,  but 
in  recent  years  their  interests  have  been  completely  subordinated 
to  German  greed : 

"  'The  general  cry  of  the  natives  in  German  East  Africa  since 
victories  of  the  Allied  troops  has  been,  "Watu  wa  kumina-tano 
wametoka;  wasirudi."  ("The  people  of  '15'  have  departed;  may 
they  never  return.")  The  "15"  refers  to  the  lowest  number  of  lashes 
with  hippopotamus  hide  which  were  administered  by  the  Germans  for 
minor  offenses.  The  natives  would  regard  with  terror  any  possi- 
bility of  the  return  of  the  Germans.  In  one  district  where  a  small 
British  column  temporarily  occupied  the  country  and  were  welcomed 
by  the  natives,  the  latter  were  massacred  when  the  Germans 
returned.'  " 


NEGRO  SOLDIERS  OF  FRANCE  123 

The  loyalty  and  devotion  of  the  British  and  French  Negro 
colonials  to  the  flags  and  governments  of  the  British  Empire  and 
the  French  Republic,  respectively,  is  in  sharp  contrast  to  the  feel- 
ing toward  the  German  government  and  the  German  flag  anion, 2' 
the  Negro  population  of  those  sections  of  Africa  which  were  held 
as  German  colonies,  but  which  under  the  terms  of  the  Treaty  of 
Versailles  have  been  taken  away  from  that  country.  While  other 
considerations  than  the  rights  of  the  Negroes  themselves  may 
have  and  doubtless  did  enter  into  the  considerations  that  led  to 
the  decision  of  the  Peace  Conference  to  take  her  colonies  away  from 
Germany  forever,  this  decision  can  nevertheless  be  properly  re- 
garded as  a  fulfillment  of  the  wish  and  desire  of  every  American 
citizen  of  the  Negro  race. 

German  Atrocities  in  Africa 

The  record  of  German  duplicity  and  cruelty  in  Southwest 
Africa  as  disclosed  in  the  official  reports  of  the  British  adminis- 
trator embodies  many  of  the  stories  of  these  atrocities.  Between 
1904  and  1911  the  numbers  of  three  native  races  were  reduced  from 
130,000  to  37,742.  The  decrease  was  brought  about  by  a  war  of 
extermination  undertaken  by  the  Germans  against  tribes  with  whom 
they  had  made  agreements — the  ''scrap  of  paper"  over  again. 
The  Kaiser  undertook  by  the  treaties  "to  give  his  All-Highest  pro- 
tection to  the  chief  and  his  people."  As  soon  as  the  Germans  had 
sufficient  force  on  the  spot  they  tore  up  the  treaties,  goaded  the 
natives  into  rebellion,  and  then  massacred  them.  The  German 
Governor  Leutwein  avows  the  crime  as  cynically  as  Bethmann- 
Hollweg  admitted  the  crime  against'  Belgium.    He  simply  says : 

''The  specific  provisions  of  the  agreement  did  not  matter;  the 
fact  of  their  conclusion  was  sufficient.  The  manner  of  the  carrying 
out  of  those  agreements  thus  depended  entirely  on  the  power  which 
stood  behind  the  German  makers  of  the  agreements.  So  long  as 
the  German  Government  in  the  protectorate  had  no  means  of  en- 
forcing its  power  the  agreements  were  of  small  significance.  After 
this  state  of  affairs  had  been  changed  the  agreements  were,  in 
practice,  dealt  with  uniformly  without  regard  to  their  stipulated 
details.  So  the  native  tribes  were  all  in  the  same  way,  as  a  whole, 
whether  it  was  arranged  or  not,  made  subject  to  German  lavv^s  and 


124  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

German  jurisdiction  and  received  German  garrisons."  That  was 
how  the  Kaiser's  ''protection"  was  given.    Then  came  the  slaughter. 

All  the  records  in  the  report  are  from  the  archives  at  Wind- 
hoek, from  sworn  statements  made  by  Europeans  familiar  with  the 
country,  by  native  chiefs,  and  from  the  writings  of  Leutwein,  who 
was  governor  from  1894  to  1905,  and  other  German  authorities. 
Every  injustice  and  atrocity  dealt  with  is  a  substantial  fact. 

The  death  of  a  native  from  a  thrashing  was  not  regarded  by 
the  German  courts  as  murder.  Leutwein  says:  ''The  natives  could 
not  understand  such  subtle  distinctions.  To  them  murder  and 
beating  to  death  were  one  and  the  same  thing." 

Government  of  this  kind  impelled  the  Herrero  rebellion. 
Samuel  Kariko,  son  of  Under-Chief  Daniel  Kariko,  stated  on  oath: 
"Our  people  were  shot  and  murdered;  our  women  were  ill-treated; 
and  those  who  did  this  were^not  punished.  Our  chiefs  consulted  and 
we  decided  that  war  could  not  be  worse  than  what  we  were  under- 
going. We  all  knew  what  risks  we  ran,  yet  we  decided  on  war,  as 
the  chiefs  said  we  would  be  better  off  even  if  we  were  all  dead. ' ' 

Johannes  Kruger,  appointed  by  Leutwein  as  chief  of  the 
Bushmen  and  Berg-Damaras  of  the  Grootfontein  area,  stated  on 
oath  with  regard  to  the  campaign  of  Gen.  von  Trotha:  "I  went 
with  the  German  troops  right  through  the  Herrero  rebellion.  The 
Afrikander  Hottentots  of  my  werft  were  with  me.  We  refused  to 
kill  Herrero  women  and  children,  but  the  Germans  spared  none. 
Two  of  my  Hottentots,  Jan  Wint  and  David  Swartbooi,  were 
invited  by  the  German  soldiers  to  join  them  in  violating  Herrero 
girls.     The  two  Hottentots  refused  to  do  so." 

Hendrik  Eraser  of  Keetmanshoop  stated  on  oath:  "On  one 
occasion  I  saw  about  25  prisoners  placed  in  a  small  inclosure  of 
thorn  bushes.  They  were  confined  in  a  very  small  space,  and 
the  soldiers  cut  diy  branches  and  piled  dry  logs  all  around  them — 
men,  women,  and  children  and  little  girls  were  there.  The  prison- 
ers were  all  alive  and  unwounded,  but  half  starved.  Having  piled 
up  the  branches,  lamp  oil  was  sprinkled  on  the  heap  and  it  was 
set  on  fire.  The  prisoners  were  burnt  to  a  cinder.  I  saw  this 
personally." 

The  official  photographs  of  natives  hanged  by  Germans,  are 
pitiful.    Capt.  L.  Fourie,  S.  A.  M.  C,  district  surgeon  at  Windhoek, 


NEGRO  SOLDIERS  OF  FRANCE  125 

states:  ''Executions  were  carried  out  in  a  very  crude  and  cruel 
manner.  The  prisoner  was  conducted  to  the  nearest  tree  and 
placed  on  an  ammunition,  biscuit,  soap,  or  other  box  or  convenient 
object,  and  the  rope,  after  being  run  around  his  neck  and  through 
a  fork  of  the  tree,  was  fixed  to  the  trunk.  The  box  was  removed 
and  death  resulted  from  asphyxiation.  In  other  instances  the 
condemned  prisoner  was  strangled  by  merely  hoisting  him  off  his 
feet  by  utilizing  the  fork  or  branch  of  a  tree.  Wlien  the  rope  was 
not  available,  telegraph  or  telephone  wire  or  other  convenient 
material  was  used.  Very  rarely  could  death  have  resulted  instan- 
taneously." 

Such  had  been  the  history  of  German  East  Africa  which  was 
completely  captured  and  taken  over  by  the  British  early  in  the 
World  War.  Here  the  Germans  sought  to  resist  the  British  forces, 
consisting  of  native  and  Boer  regiments  from  the  British  South 
African  colonies,  under  the  command  of  Boer  officers,  by  compellinf^ 
Negroes  to  fight  them  against  the  invaders.  Their  resistance  was 
half-hearted;  even  the  least  intelligent  African  native  could  feci 
neither  loyalty  nor  respect  for  the  brutal  and  tyrannical  German 
officers  and  Colonial  officials,  and  the  Germans  were  left  practio- 
ally  to  conduct  their  resistance  unaided.  The  extension  of  the 
British  protectorate  over  German  East  Africa  was  hailed  with  joy 
by  all  the  natives. 

If  the  author  has  digressed  from  his  theme  of  the  Negro  Soldiers 
of  France,  it  is  because  he  has  wished  to  draw  a  picture  of  the 
contrast  between  the  loyalty  of  the  French  and  British  Colonials 
on  the  one  hand  and  the  hatred  and  terror  inspired  by  Germany 
wherever  that  nation  has  attempted  to  establish  colonies  and  rule 
the  natives.  To  the  French,  who  draw  no  color  line,  there  is  nothing 
startling  or  worthy  of  special  comment  in  the  fact  that  in  tlie 
armies  of  France  in  the  Great  War,  two  colored  soldiers  reached 
the  rank  of  General,  and  four  the  rank  of  Colonel.  And  the  French 
as  a  race  are  proud  of  the  exploits  of  "Les  Joyeux"  (the  hap])y 
ones),  the  Negro  soldiers  of  the  special  corps  called  officially 
"Bataillons  d'Afrique." 

It  was  "Les  Joyeux"  who  electrified  the  entire  sector  when  on 
May  27,  1918,  the  Germans  attempted  to  storm  their  defenses.  Al- 
though the  enemy  attacked  in  superior  numbers,  the  "Joyeux,"  fight- 


126  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

ing  desperately,  with  entire  disregard  to  numbers,  held  their  ground 
and  every  yard  of  the  line  of  barbed-wire  entanglement  fronting 
the  French  trenches  was  ornamented  with  dead  Germans.  Some 
of  the  enemy  elements  which  succeeded  in  penetrating  the  trenches 
were  slaughtered  with  bayonets  and  grenades.  Supreme  abnegation 
was  shown  by  the  war-hardened  '*  Joyeux,"  who  checked  the  power- 
ful German  assaults.  The  line  of  trenches  was  firmly  held  and 
communication  was  kept  open  between  the  various  defending 
elements. 

On  the  night  of  May  28  the  First  Battalion  of  the  Chasseurs 
d'Afrique  fell  back  in  an  orderly  manner,  having  fulfilled  the  mis- 
sion intrusted  to  it  and  picking  up  the  equally  weary  elements  of 
the  Third  Battalion,  which  had  struggled  no  less  gloriously.  After 
an  all-night  march  of  twenty  kilometers  (twelve  miles)  they  arrived 
at  their  destination  without  abandoning  any  material,  the  machine 
gunners  carrying  their  pieces  on  their  backs.  Several  of  the 
'' Joyeux"  spoke  of  this  moving  night  march  with  heroic  simplicity. 

'^We  were  counted  and  reconstituted,"  said  one  of  them. 
"About  midnight  of  May  29,  1918,  without  taking  a  rest,  we 
again  went  to  the  front.  On  June  1  we  launched  an  attack,  making 
a  formidable  charge,  which  caused  the  boches  to  renounce  their 
attempt  to   advance." 

Many  Deeds  of  Heroism 

Many  deeds  of  heroism  were  performed  by  these  men.  One  of 
the  battalions  taking  part  in  the  action  was  composed  of  very 
young  men  and  had  arrived  on  the  French  battlefields  as  late  as 
January  3,  1918,  after  distinguishing  itself  in  Morocco  by  its  ardor 
and  endurance.  The  esprit  de  corps  animating  this  battalion  was 
most  chivalrous. 

Four  '' Joyeux"  in  the  night  of  May  28th,  saw  their  company 
commander,  Lieutant  Marechal,  fall  in  a  boyau  pierced  by  enemy 
bullets.  Not  wishing  to  lose  the  body  of  their  chief,  the  valiant 
four  resisted  the  Germans  with  grenades,  holding  them  at  bay. 
After  they  had  recovered  the  body  the  same  four  "  Joyeux"  carried 
it  all  the  way  during  the  terrible  back-breaking  twenty  kilometer 
retreat.  On  the  morning  of  May  29,  although  harassed  by  fatigue 
and  lack  of  sleep,  they  organized  a  short  funeral  service,  glorifying 
the  ofificer  who  had  fallen  at  their  head.     On  June  1  the  same 


NEGRO  SOLDIERS  OF  P^RANCE  127 

battalion,  supported  by  two  companies  of  other  battalions,  after 
being  almost  submerged  by  the  Gemian  waves,  threw  itself,  the 
officers  leading  with  drawn  revolvers,  into  a  hand-to-hand  encounter 
with  the  Germans,  who  fell  back  in  disorder,  abandoning  their  field 
and  machine  guns. 

The  Germans  applied  the  common  name  of  "Frenchmen  from 
Africa"  to  the  soldiers  of  all  the  French  regiments  which  in  time 
of  peace  served  in  Africa,  including  legionnaires,  zouaves,  *'Joy- 
eux,"  colonials,  mitrailleurs — Arab  and  black  sharpshooters  re- 
ciTiited  in  northern  Africa — Spahis  and  African  chasseurs.  These 
corps  were  especially  feared  by  the  enemy  and  formed  one  of  the 
firmest  bulwarks  of  the  allied  defense. 

The  annals  of  the  French  Army  in  the  Great  War  are  filled 
with  records  of  individual  heroism  on  the  part  of  the  French 
Colonial  troops.  Here  is  the  official  record  of  Fako  Doumbia  of 
the  Fifty-first  Senegalese  Battalion,  serving  at  the  observation  post 
of  the  trench.  He  was  three  times  buried  by  projectiles,  three  times 
released  himself,  resumed  his  post  with  the  greatest  calmness,  and 
continued  on  duty  until  relieved  by  the  commandant  of  his  com- 
pany. 

Fort  Douaumont,  which  had  gained  renown  for  its  obstinate 
and  prolonged  defense  by  the  French  during  the  German  rush  at 
Verdun  in  1916,  was  defended  by  the  Huns  with  equal  obstinacy 
when  the  French  began  their  counter-attack  in  1918,  but  was  re- 
captured at  last.  In  the  course  of  the  attack  a  battalion  of  the 
"Tirailleurs,"  together  with  one  of  the  "poilus,"  was  held  up  by 
an  artillery  barrage  in  front  and  machine-gun  fire  on  the  flanks. 
A  veteran  lieutenant  of  the  Tirailleurs  cautiously  raising  his  head 
shouted  to  his  men:  "How  now,  Tirailleurs,  are  we  going  to  stick 
here?  Forward!"  The  Tirailleurs  immediately  bounded  forward, 
carrying  the  "poilus"  with  them  in  their  rush.  They  passed  the 
barrage  and  captured  the  fort  and  raised  the  tricolor  once  more 
upon  its  walls. 

On  March  1,  1916,  a  battalion  was  organized  at  St.  Raphael 
from  the  veterans  of  the  previous  campaign  and  recruits  recently 
arrived  from  Africa.  After  three  months'  training,  to  give  the 
necessary  cohesion,  the  battalion  was  sent  to  the  front  on  June  1, 
and  went  into  the  trenches  on  the  Oise,  and  then  on  the  Somme, 


128  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

taking  its  part  in  all  the  battles.  At  the  end  of  October  the  battalion 
went  into  winter  quarters  near  Arachon,  where  it  was  put  under 
'' intense"  training,  and  on  March  19,  1917,  joined  the  armies  of 
the  North  and  Northeast  on  the  line  of  the  Aisne,  where  it  was 
attached  to  a  regiment  of  Colonial  infantry  with  which  it  took  part 
in  the  spring  offensive.  On  April  16  and  17  it  distinguished  itself 
greatly  at  the  farm  of  Noisy,  the  men  dying  at  their  posts  rather 
than  abandon  the  position  which  they  had  taken.  In  May  it  served 
at  the  Mill  of  Lafaux,  and  in  June  and  July  was  in  the  trenches  in 
the  reconquered  part  of  Alsace.  During  July- August  it  took  part 
in  the  defense  of  the  plateaux  of  Craonne  and  California  and 
fought  on  the  Chemin  des  Dames. 

These  places  are  mentioned  to  show  that  the  battalion  was 
always  at  the  seat  of  the  hottest  fighting,  and  wherever  it  was 
called  upon  to  serve,  whether  in  attack  or  in  defense,  it  attracted 
attention  by  its  courage,  devotion  and  self-sacrifice.  The  quality 
of  these  gallant  soldiers  will  be  shown  by  a  few  quotations  from  the 
*' citations  a  I'ordre"  for  a  single  day: 

''Kofi  Alia,  private:  Cool  and  collected;  courageously  led  his 
comrades  on  April  16,  1917,  to  an  assault  of  the  enemy  positions. 
Although  wounded,  continued  to  throw  his  bombs  on  a  hostile 
machine  gun  and  only  left  his  post  when  his  strength  gave  out." 

''Moderi  Comba,  private:  Very  devoted  and  courageous;  on 
April  16,  1917,  dressed,  under  fire,  the  wounds  of  his  lieutenant  and 
returned  to  his  post  in  the  line. ' ' 

"Demba  N'Daigne,  private:  Very  courageous.  On  April  16, 
1917,  taking  the  quick  firing  gun  of  one  of  his  wounded  comrades, 
stopped  by  his  fire  an  attempted  bombing  attack  by  the  enemy." 

''Namadon  N'Daigne,  sergeant:  On  April  1, 1917,  distinguished 
himself  among  the  bravest  of  those  who  advanced  against  a  Ger- 
man counter-attack  and  formed  a  first  line  of  defense  behind  the 
barbed  wire." 

* '  Donga  Thiam,  private :  On  April  16,  1917,  being  with  a  group 
of  bombers  and  all  his  comrades  having  become  casualties  con- 
tinued alone  to  cast  his  bombs  into  the  enemy's  trench." 

*'Eli  Diot,  corporal:  Showed  remarkable  courage  in  the  attack 
on  the  enemy's  lines  on  April  16,  remained  at  his  post,  although 
seriously  wounded  and  never  ceased  to  encourage  his  comrades." 


NEGRO  SOLDIERS  OF  FRANCE 


129 


It  was  with  records  like  these,  made  by  men  of  their  own  race 
though  under  different  flags,  that  the  Negro  soldiers  of  America 
had  to  compete.  That  they  did  compete,  and  nobly  upheld  the 
tradition  of  valor  established  by  these  French  soldiers  of  their  own 
color,  is  a  source  of  much  satisfaction. 


A  Study  in  Black  and  Yellow 


CHAPTEE  XI 

THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION 

Full  Detailed  Account  of  the  Organization  and  Fighting  Campaigns 
of  the  Famous  Ninety-Second,  as  Recorded  by  the  Division's 
Official  Historian — Coniijlete  Official  Reports  of  Every  Battle  in 
Which  the  Ninety-Second  Took  Part — Commetidation  by  Com- 
manding Officers. 

*Pursuant  to  War  Department  Orders,  the  92nd  Division  was 
organized  November  29,  1917,  from  the  first  contingent  of  Negro 
draftees  arriving  at  the  various  camps  and  cantonments  throughout 
the  United  States  during  the  latter  part  of  the  month  of  October, 
1917.  The  entire  enlisted  personnel  was  made  up  of  Negroes  and 
represented  practically  all  the  States  in  the  Union.  The  Staff  and 
Field  Officers,  officers  of  the  Supply  Units,  Quartermaster  Corps, 
Engineers'  Corps,  and  of  the  Artillery  Units,  with  few  exceptions, 
were  white.  The  remainder  of  the  commissioned  personnel,  compris- 
ing about  four-fifths  of  the  whole,  were  colored. 

The  plans  of  the  War  Department  did  not  provide  a  separate 
cantonment  for  this  division.  It  was  therefore  necessary  to  dis- 
tribute its  various  units  among  seven  widely-separated  camps.  This 
distribution  was  effected  as  follows : 


Name  of  Camp 
Funston 

Location 
Ft.  Riley,  Kansas 

92nd  Division  Units 
Division  Headquarters 
Headquarters  Troop 
34:9th  Machine-gun  Battalion 
Divisional  Trains 

Dodge 
Grant 

Des  ]Moines,  Iowa 
Rockford,  111. 

366th  Regim.ent  of  Infantry 
365th  Regiment  of  Infantry 
350th  Machine-gun  Battalion 

*The  information  contained  In  this  chapter  with  reference  to  the  organization, 
operations  and  other  data  of  the  92nd  Division  has  been  supplied  for  this  work  by 
First  Lieut.  T.  T.  Thompson  of  the  92nd  Division,  who  accompanied  it  to  France  and 
served  durinsc  the  whole  period  at  Headquarters  at  Camp  Funston  and  in  France  as 
acting  Personnel  OflBcer.    He  was  specially  detailed  as  Historian  of  the  92nd  Division. 

130 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION 


131 


Sherman 

Chillieothe,  Ohio 

Meade 

Annapolis  Jet.,  Md. 

Dix 

Wrightstown,  N.  J. 

Upton 


Yaphank,  New  York 


At  the  time  of 
were  as  follows: 
Charles  C.  Ballou 
Channcey  Dewey 
Allen  J.  Greer 
*HaiTy  L.  Hodges 
Sherburne  Whipple 
Robert  P.  Harbold 
Edward  L.  Glasgow 
Perry  L.  Boyer 
Philip  S.  Gage 
Alfred  M.  Craven 
Thomas  C.  Spencer 


organization  the 

Major  Gener^vl 
Captain  F.  A. 
Lt.  Colonel  G.  S. 
Major  Inf. 
Major  Inf. 
Major  Inf. 
Colonel  Q.  M.  C. 
Lt.  Colonel  M.  C. 
Major  Ord.  C. 
Major  J.  A.  G.  D. 
Major  Inf. 


317th  Engineers  Regiment 
317th  Engineers  Train 
325th  Field  Signal  Battalion 
368th  Regiment  of  Infantry 
351st  Field  Artillery 
349th  Field  Artillery 
350th  Field  Artillery 
317th  Trench  Mortar  Battery 
367th  Regiment  of  Infantry 
351st  Machine-gun  Battalion 

Staff  Officers  of  the  Division 

Commanding  Division 
Aide-de-Camp 
Chief  of  Staff 
Assistant    Chief    of    Staff 
Division  Adjutant 
Division  Inspector 
Division  Quartermaster 
Division  Surgeon 
Division  Ordnance  Ofificer 
Division  Judge  Advocate 
Division  Signal  Officer 


*Never  reported. 

The  183rd  Infantry  Brigade  comprised  the  365th  and  366th  Regi- 
ments of  Infantry  and  the  350th  Machine-gun  Battalion,  and  was 
organized  as  follows: 


IMalvern  H.  Barnum 
Edmund  A.  Buchanan 

Vernon  A.  Caldwell 
John  J.  Ryan 
Frederick  E.  Sweitzer 
James  E.  Abbott 
Charles  W.  Mason 
V7illiam  F.  Robinson 

Ralph  W.  Parrott 
Adclbert  G.  Aldrich 
James  E.  McDonald 


Brigadier  Gener.vl 

Major 
365th  Regiment  of  Infantry 

Colonel 

Lt.  Colonel 

Captain 

]\Iajor 

Major 

Major 
366th  Regiment  of  Infantry 

Colonel 

Captain 

Major 


Brigade  Commander 
Brigade  Adjutant 

Reg'l  Comd'r 
Regiment 

Regimental  Adjutant 
Comd'g  1st  B'n 
Comd'g2ndB'n 
Comd'g  3rd  B'n 

Reg'l  Comd'r 
Reg'l  Adjutant 
Comd'g  1st  B'n 


132 


SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 


Ralph  Leavitt 
Horace  F.  Sykes 

George  M.  Lee 
Dennis  M.  Matthews 


Major 
Major 
350th  Machine-gun  Battalion 
Major 
1st  Lt. 


Comd'g  2nd  B'n 
Comd  'g  3rd  B  'n 

B'n  Comd  r 

Actg.  B'n  Adjutant 


The  1841b  Brigade  was  organized  as  follows 


Wn^LiAM  II.  Hay 
Herman  S.  Dihvorth 


James  A.  Moss 
William  C.  Doane 
Fred  W.  Bugbee 
Frederic  Bull 
Charles  L.  Mitchell 
Wilford  Twj^man 
Fitzhugh  L.  Minnegcrodc 

368th 
William  P.  Jackson 
William  S.  Mapes 
Harry  Armstrong 
Henry  S.  Terrell 
Max  A.  Elser 
William  R.  Pope 


Robert  M.  Barton 
Oscar  C.  Brown 


Brigadier  General 
Major 
367th  Regiment  of  Infantry 
Colonel 
Lt.  Colonel 
Lt.  Colonel 
Captain 
Major 
Major 
Major 
Regiment  of  Infantry 
Colonel 
Lt.  Colonel 
Captain 
Major 
Major 
Major 

35l8t  Machine-gun  Battalion 
Major 
1st  Lt. 


Brigade  Commander 
Brigade  Adjutant 

Reg'l  Comd'b 
Regiment 
Unassigned 
Regimental  Adjutant 
Comd'g  1st  B'n 
Comd'g  2nd  B'n 
Comd'g  3rd  B'n 

Reg'l  Comd'r 
Regiment 

Regimental  Adjutant 
Comd'g  1st  B'n 
Comd'g  2nd  B'n 
Comd'g  3rd  B'n 

B'n  Comd'r 
B'n  Adjutant 


The  167tb  Field  Artillery  Brigade  was  organized  as  follows 
John  H.  Sherburne 


Dan  T.  Moore 
Charles  S.  Blakely 
Royal  F.  Nash 
William  F.  McCleave 

Fred  T.  Austin 
Walter  E.  Prosser 
William  Heffner 
Allen  McBridc 


Brigadier  Gen. 

349th  Field  Artillery  Regiment 
Colonel 
Lt.  Colonel 
Captain 
Major 

350th  Field  Art.  Regiment 
Colonel 
Lt.  Colonel 
Captain 
Major 


Brigade  Commander 


Reg'l  Comd'r 
Regiment 
Reg'l  Adjutant 
B'n  Commander 

Reg'l  Comd'r 
Regiment 

Regimental  Adjutant 
B'n  Commander 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION 


133 


William  E.  Cole 
Edward  L.  Carpenter 
Earl  Briscoe 
Wade  H.  Carpenter 


351st  Field  Art.  Regiment 
Colonel 
Lt.  Colonel 
Major 
Major 


Reo'l  Comd'r 
Regiment 
Comd'g  1st  B'n 
Comd'g2ndB'n 


The  317tli  Engineers'  Regiment  was  organized  as  follows: 


Earl  I.  Brown 
Henry  A.  Finch 
Charles  Ecton 
William  H.  Ferguson 
Arthur  E.  Wenige 

PiTTMAN  E.  Smith 
Ether  Beattie 


Colonel 
Lt.  Colonel 
Captain 
Major 
Major 
317th  Engineers'  Train 
1st  Lt. 
2nd  Lt. 


Comd'g  Regiment 
Regiment 
Reg'l  Adjutant 
Comd'g  1st  B'n 
Comd'g  2nd  B'n 

Train  Comd'r 
Tr.  Adjutant 


The  325th  Field  Signal  Battalion  was  organized  as  follows : 

Irving  Deems  Major  B'n  Commd'r 

Luther  N.  Hull  Captain  B'n  Adjutant 

The  317th  Supply  Train  was  organized  as  follows : 

OiTo  W.  Rethorst  Major  Tr.  Comd'r 

John  N.  Douglass  Captain  Tr.  Adjutant 

The  317th  Ammunition  Train  was  organized  as  follows : 

Henry  B.  Clark 
Allan  R.  Williams 
Charles  C.  McClure 
Charles  C.  Hoag 
Edward  F.  Springer 


Colonel 

Tr.  Comd'r 

Major 

Comd'g  Horse  Sec. 

Major 

Comd'g  Motor  Sec. 

Captain 

Adjutant  Mot.  Sec. 

Captain 

Adjutant  Horse  Sec, 

Major,  M.  C. 

Tr.  Comd'r 

Captain,  M.  C. 

Comd  'g  Ambu.  See 

The  317th  Sanitary  Train 

David  B.  Downing 
Edward  B.  Simmons 

The  317th  Trains  Headquarters  and  Military  Police : 

Isaac  S.  Jenks  Colonel  Tr.  Comd'r 

Joseph  C.  Wilson  Captain  Tr.  Adjutant 

The  349th  Machine-gun  Battalion : 


Robert  S.  Sterrett 
Arthur  Hubbard 


Major 
1st  Lt. 


B'n  Comd'r 
B'n  Adjutant 


134  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  Division  Headquarters  Troop: 

Edward  J.  Turgeon  Captain  Troop  Comd'b 

Marion  C.  Rhoten  ]st  Lt.  Troop 

Sidney  D,  Frissell  1st  Lt.  Troop 

Arthur  R.  "Williams  2nd  Lt.  Troop 

The  Training  in  France 

The  organization  and  training  of  the  Division  extended  over  a 
period  of  five  months.  In  May,  1918,  the  Division  was  ordered  over- 
seas to  join  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces  in  France.  The 
first  contingent  embarked  at  Hoboken,  N.  J.,  on  June  10,  1918,  and 
reached  Brest  (Finisterre)  on  the  19th  day  of  June,  1918.  During  the 
same  month  the  Infantry  Units,  the  Divisional  Trains  and  the  Field 
Artillery  Brigade,  elements  of  the  division  which  had  not  embarked 
with  the  first  contingents,  reached  France  and  went  immediately  into 
a  secondary  period  of  intensive  training. 

Bourbonne-les-Bains  (the  baths  of  the  Bourbons),  in  Haute 
Mame,  was  the  first  training  area  of  the  92nd  Division  in  France. 
Bourbonne  is  a  historic  little  town  of  five  or  six  thousand  inhabitants, 
situated  almost  midway  between  the  lower  reaches  of  the  Marne  on 
the  west  and  the  Moselle  on  the  east,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
country.  To  the  east  about  one  hundred  miles  flows  the  Ehine,  while 
to  the  southeast  at  a  less  distance  lies  the  border  of  Switzerland. 
Sixty  miles  north  of  the  town,  the  battle  line  ran  angling  to  the  south- 
east and  thirty  miles  northwest  was  Chaumont,  the  headquarters  of 
the  American  Expeditionary  Forces.  Like  most  of  the  towns  of 
France,  Bourbonne-les-Bains  counted  its  age  in  centuries.  In  peace 
times  its  natural  hot-water  baths  attracted  health-seekers  from  all 
parts  of  the  country.  Tradition  relates  that  the  hot  mineral  waters 
of  the  surrounding  springs  had  not  only  been  a  favorite  gathering 
place  for  the  Bourbon  kings  in  the  Middle  Ages,  but  of  the  Romans 
as  well,  many  centuries  before.  In  the  old  city  park,  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  near  where  a  moving-picture  theater  now  stands,  may 
be  seen  the  ruins  of  ancient  Eoman  colonnades,  standing  near  an 
excavation  in  the  solid  rock.  This  excavation  until  recently  was  still 
used  as  a  swimming  pool,  into  which  the  same  hot  springs  continue 
to  flow. 

The  various  units  of  the  Division,  except  the  Artillery  Brigade 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  135 

and  the  Ammunition  Train,  were  quartered  in  tlie  numerous  villages 
extending  in  a  semicircle  to  the  north  and  east  of  Bourbonne,  ranging 
from  six  to  sixteen  kilometers  from  Division  headquarters,  which 
was  established  in  the  city.  Following  the  plan  of  quartering  the 
American  army  as  it  entered  France,  the  soldiers  were  billetted  in 
buildings  vacated  by  the  French  people.  These  buildings  consisted 
of  public  halls,  hotel  buildings,  barns  and  in  many  instances  the 
homes  of  families  where  available  space  could  be  found. 

The  training  period  continued  through  eight  weeks,  embracing 
all  phases  of  offensive  and  defensive  tactics  found  necessary  to  meet 
the  actual  methods  in  use  in  the  allied  armies.  In  the  meantime,  the 
complete  Artillery  Brigade  and  the  Ammunition  Train  reached 
France  and  went  into  training  July  18  at  Montmorrillon,  in  the 
department  of  Vienne,  the  training  area  for  artillery  units. 

Takes  Over  the  St.  Die  Sector 

Leaving  this  training  area  about  the  7th  of  August,  1918,  the 
Division  moved  up  by  stages  to  take  over  its  first  sector.  Leaving 
Bourbonne-les-Bains,  the  Division  established  temporary  headquar- 
ters at  Bruyeres,  Vosges,  remaining  twelve  days,  during  which  time 
the  Division  was  equipped  for  front  line  duty.  From  Bruyeres 
the  Division  moved  up  by  marches  to  St.  Die  on  the  21st  of  August, 
and  took  over  its  first  sector  on  the  25th  of  August,  1918. 

From  St.  Die  to  the  Ehine  is  not  more  than  a  day's  march.  From 
the  towers  and  other  elevations  of  the  city,  the  dim  outlines  of  the 
distant  mountains — the  foothills  of  the  Alps — covered  w4th  impene- 
trable forests,  are  plainly  visible.  The  clear  and  shallow  waters  of 
the  river  Meurthe  flow  through  the  heart  of  the  city.  A  quaint  bit  of 
history  connected  with  St.  Die  is  that  it  gave  the  name  to  the  con- 
tinent of  America.  This  is  explained  by  large  placards  posted  in 
different  parts  of  the  city  to  welcome  incoming  American  troops,  by 
the  announcement  in  French  that  the  city  of  St.  Die  is  the  ^'Marraine" 
of  America,  because  it  was  for  Americus  Vespucius,  a  St.  Diean  monk, 
that  the  continent  was  named.  One  of  the  leading  streets  terminating 
at  the  square  known  as  the  "Place  de  Jules  Ferry"  is  called  *'Rue 
de  President  Wilson."  The  headquarters  of  the  Division  in  this  city 
of  10,000  inhabitants,  was  located  in  the  historic  old  building  for- 
merly used  by  the  Bishop  of  Eastern  France  as  office  and  prefecture. 


136  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

This  rambling  old  building  crowns  the  single  eminence  of  the  city 
and  part  of  it  is  still  used  for  church  services  by  the  native  population. 
The  St.  Die  sector  formed  the  southeastern  tip  of  the  great  battle 
line  which  extended  from  the  North  Sea  to  the  borders  of  Switzer- 
land. Across  the  line  opposite  the  sector  lay  Alsace.  Beyond  the 
Alsatian  strip  of  country  lay  impenetrable  mountains  and  forests. 
Physical  barriers  made  extensive  military  movements  impracticable, 
and  for  this  reason  the  sector  was  comparatively  a  quiet  one  and 
usually  assigned  to  inexperienced  divisions  coming  into  the  front  line 
for  the  first  time.  The  city  of  St.  Die,  on  the  French  side,  was  easily 
within  range  of  enemy  guns,  and  Saales,  the  Alsatian  city  opposite 
St.  Die,  was  as  easily  w^ithin  the  range  of  our  own  artillery,  but 
through  a  tacit  understanding,  neither  of  these  cities  suffered  from 
artillery  bombardment  from  opposing  forces,  although  the  villages 
and  roads  beyond  were  frequently  bombarded. 

The  Baptism  of  Fire  and  Gas 

With  the  coming  of  American  troojDS,  the  sector  became  more 
active.  The  92nd  Division  in  this  sector  relieved  the  6th  Infantry, 
American  Expeditionary  Forces,  and  French  units  of  the  33rd  Army 
Corps,  with  which  the  6th  Infantry  had  been  brigaded,  less  the 
French  artillery  which  supported  the  92nd  Division.  The  Artillery 
Brigade  of  the  92nd  Division  was  still  in  training  at  Montmorrillon. 
In  a  raid  on  the  16th  of  August,  nine  days  before  the  92nd  took  over 
the  sector,  the  6th  Infantry  had  captured  the  village  of  Frapelle  and 
extended  its  front  line  trenches.  As  a  result  of  this  loss,  the  92nd 
found  the  enemy  on  the  offensive  and  received  its  baptism  of  fire 
and  gas  on  August  25,  1918.  Amid  intermittent  shelling  with  shrap- 
nel and  gas,  the  front  line  trenches  were  taken  over  by  throe  com- 
panies respectively  from  the  368th  and  365th  Regiments,  two  com- 
panies of  the  367th  Infantry,  and  five  companies  of  the  366th 
Infantry,  with  other  combat  units  in  reserve  and  support. 

From  the  25th  of  August  until  the  Division  was  relieved  on  the 
20th  of  September,  the  principal  activities  consisted  of  patrolling 
and  raiding  parties,  with  artillery  and  aerial  bombardment  of  enemy 
positions.  Skirmishes  between  raiding  parties  w^ere  frequent.  One 
of  the  most  intense  engagements  during  this  period  was  on  the  night 
of  the  31st  of  August,  1918,  when  the  enemy  made  an  attempt  in 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  137 

force  to  retake  Frapelle.  In  this  attack  the  enemy  was  supported  by 
intense  artillery  bombardment,  employing  mustard  gas  and  flame 
projectors,  but  was  repulsed  with  heavy  losses.  Our  casualties  were 
34  wounded  and  gassed  and  four  killed,  including  First  Lieutenant 
Thomas  Bullock,  367th  Infantry,  the  first  officer  of  the  Division  to 
meet  death  at  hands  of  the  enemy. 

On  the  following  day,  the  enemy,  attacked  our  forces  at  Ormont, 
after  heavy  artillery  barrage,  but  were  driven  back  by  the  366th 
Infantry.  In  this  attack  more  than  12,000  shells  were  fired  into 
our  front  line  trenches  between  the  hours  of  12 :30  and  3 :00  in  the 
afternoon.  After  this  intense  barrage  the  enemy  charged  our  gun 
fire.  In  this  action,  the  365th  were  commended  for  repelling  the 
enemy's  attack.  j 

Following  the  enemy's  defeat  at  Hermanpere,  the  enemy  at- 
tempted a  raid  at  Frapelle  but  was  repulsed  by  our  infantry,  assisted 
by  artillery  barrage.  Among  the  casualties  on  this  date.  Lieutenant 
Aaron  Fisher  of  the  366th  Infantry,  later  awarded  a  Distinguished 
Service  Cross,  was  seriously  wounded. 

Negro  Soldiers  Eager  to  Attack 

No  immediate  offensive  operations  were  attempted  by  our  forces 
at  this  time.  Our  officers  and  soldiers  pleaded  for  an  opportunity 
to  attack  the  enemy,  to  assume  the  offensive;  especially  was  this 
true  at  Senones,  where  our  patrolling  parties  entered  the  town  and 
mingled  with  its  occupants,  and  brought  back  valuable  information, 
but  it  was  deemed  inadvisable  at  that  time.  Troops  not  actively 
engaged  in  holding  positions  and  repelling  the  enemy  attacks  were 
extending  and  repairing  trenches  and  dugouts.  The  entrenchment 
system  was  inadequate  for  the  protection  of  the  troops  and  out  of 
repair  from  long  non-use.  In  the  meantime  it  developed  that  not- 
withstanding the  incessant  activities  of  the  enemy,  he  was  never- 
theless falling  back  and  taking  up  new  positions  to  the  rear. 
Numerous  patrolling  parties  sent  out  from  our  lines  returned  after 
long  patrols  and  reported  failure  to  come  in  contact  with  the  enemy. 
In  many  cases  enemy  trenches  were  found  abandoned.  This  was 
regarded  as  indicating  that  the  enemy  was  not  anxious  to  meet  our 
troops  in  a  general  engagement. 

At  Hermanpere,  La  Fontenelle,  La  Raniese,  Vanifosse,  Ban  de 


138  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Sapt,  Denipaire,  Eobedeau,  Coicliots,  Ravines,  Germanfaing,  Moyen- 
moutier — villages  occupied  by  the  92d  in  this  zone  of  operations— the 
enemy  kept  up  incessant  bombardment,  including  a  variety  of  gas 
shells.  During  the  latter  days  of  September  aerial  activity,  both 
bombing  and  reconnaissance,  increased  daily. 

A  Duel  in  the  Air 

Near  Raon  L'Etape,  on  the  15th  of  September,  our  troops  wit- 
nessed their  first  airplane  duel.  A  German  aviator,  steering  a  com- 
bat plane  of  the  larger  Fokker  type,  entered  our  lines  at  an  altitude 
of  8,000  feet.  The  enemy  plane  was  reported  by  observers  at  14  hrs. 
At  14:40  hrs.  a  combat  plane  from  the  French  aero  squadron  which 
was  cooperating  with  our  forces  in  this  area,  had  sighted  the  enemy 
plane  and  was  climbing  rapidly  to  give  battle.  Taken  by  surprise, 
the  Boche  aviator  circled  and  attempted  to  rise  to  the  level  of  his 
antagonist,  but  the  French  lieutenant  was  now  opening  his  batteries 
on  the  port  side  of  the  Boche  plane  at  a  superior  height  of  800  feet. 
The  accurate  aim  and  superior  maneuvering  by  Lieut.  Fagon  enabled 
him  to  reach  the  vitals  of  the  Boche  plane  before  the  latter  could 
bring  his  machine  into  position  to  defend  himself  effectively.  After 
twenty  minutes  of  circling,  swooping,  diving  and  sparring  for  ad- 
vantage, the  German  plane  with  its  propeller  shot  away,  crashed 
headlong  to  earth,  its  occupant  pierced  many  times  with  machine-gun 
bullets. 

During  the  week  of  September  14,  1918,  one  of  the  raiding 
parties  of  the  366th  Infantry  surprised  and  captured  a  group  of  five 
German  soldiers,  the  first  prisoners  taken  by  the  92nd  Division. 
Other  raiding  parties  captured  enemy  rifles,  machine-guns  and  mes- 
sage dogs.  In  the  meantime  two  members  of  one  of  our  own 
patrolling  parties  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  In  this  way  the 
Germans  learned  for  the  first  time  that  the  92nd  Division,  the  oppos- 
ing force  which  faced  them,  was  made  up  of  American  Negroes. 
With  this  information,  the  Gennans  changed  their  tactics  for  the 
moment  and  launched  into  our  trenches  the  first  propaganda  which 
reached  us.  On  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  September,  a  section  of 
the  367th  Infantry  was  bombarded  with  what  at  first  was  thought 
to  have  been  gas  shells.     On  closer  inspection  it  was  found  to  be 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  139 

circular  printed  matter.     Printed  in  good  English,  a  copy  of  this 
circular  read  as  follows: 

"To  THE  Colored  Soldiers  of  the  American  Army" 

"Hello,  boys,  what  are  you  doing  over  here?  Fighting  the  Germans? 
Why?  Have  they  ever  done  you  any  harm?  Of  course  some  white  folks 
and  the  lying  English-American  papers  told  you  that  the  Germans  ought  to 
be  wiped  out  for  the  sake  of  Humanity  and  Democracy. 

""What  is  Democracy?  Personal  freedom,  all  citizens  enjoying  the  same 
rights  socially  and  before  the  law.  Do  you  enjoy  the  same  rights  as  the 
white  people  do  in  America,  the  land  of  Freedom  and  Democracy,  or  are 
you  rather  not  treated  over  there  as  second-class  citizens?  Can  you  go  into 
a  restaurant  where  white  people  dine?  Can  you  get  a  seat  in  the  theater 
where  white  people  sit?  Can  you  get  a  seat  or  a  berth  in  the  railroad  car, 
or  can  you  even  ride,  in  the  South,  in  the  same  street  car  with  white  people? 
And  how  about  the  law  ?  Is  lynching  and  the  most  horrible  crimes  connected 
therewith  a  lawful  proceeding  in  a  democratic  country? 

"Now,  this  is  all  different  in  Germany,  where  they  do  like  colored  people, 
where  they  treat  them  as  gentlemen  and  as  white  people,  and  quite  a  number 
of  colored  people  have  fine  positions  in  business  in  Berlin  and  other  German 
cities. 

"Why,  then,  fight  the  Germans  only  for  the  benefit  of  the  Wall  street 
robbers  and  to  protect  the  millions  they  have  loaned  to  the  British,  French, 
and  Italians?  You  have  been  made  the  tool  of  the  egotistic  and  rapacious 
rich  in  England  and  in  America,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  whole  game  for 
you  but  broken  bones,  horrible  wounds,  spoiled  health,  or  death.  No  satis- 
faction whatever  will  you  get  out  of  this  unjust  war. 

"You  have  never  seen  Germany.  So  you  are  fools  if  you  allow  people 
to  make  you  hate  us.  Come  over  and  see  for  yourself.  Let  those  do  the 
fighting  who  make  the  profit  out  of  this  war.  Don't  allow  them  to  use  you 
as  cannon  fodder.  To  carry  a  gun  in  this  war  is  not  an  honor,  but  a  shame. 
Throw  it  away  and  come  over  into  the  German  lines.  You  will  find  friends 
who  will  help  you  along." 

Be  it  said  to  the  honor  and  credit  of  the  many  thousands  of 
Negro  officers  and  soldiers  to  whom  this  propaganda  was  addressed, 
the  invitation  had  no  effect  other  than  to  present  an  intimate  view 
of  German  methods  and  to  confirm  in  our  men  a  loftier  conception 
of  duty. 

On  the  20th  of  September,  1918,  the  92nd  Division  was  relieved 
in  the  St.  Die  sector  by  the  81st  (the  Wildcat  Division).    During  the 


140  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

four  weeks  the  Division  held  this  sector,  all  enemy  attacks  were 
repulsed,  a  number  of  prisoners  and  quantities  of  material  were 
captured,  trenches  and  roads  were  constructed  and  repaired,  and 
most  important  of  all,  the  Division  demonstrated  its  ability  to  fight 
in  or  out  of  the  trenches  as  it  had  been  trained  in  the  back  areas. 

Second  Sector  Held  by  the  92nd  Division 

Beginning  on  the  21st  of  September,  1918,  the  Division  left  the 
St.  Die  sector,  dropping  down  into  the  Corcieux  zone  for  entrain- 
ment.  Orders  from  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  American  Expe- 
ditionary Forces  directed  the  Division  to  proceed  to  the  Department 
of  the  Meuse  and  take  up  position  as  a  Corps  Reserve  unit.  From 
Corcieux  and  other  nearby  entraining  points,  the  various  units  of  the 
Division,  less  the  artillery  and  Ammunition  Train,  were  entrained 
and  en  route  to  the  Argonne  region  within  twenty-four  hours  after 
orders  were  received. 

Preparations  for  the  great  drive  of  the  Allies  which  had  been 
scheduled  to  begin  on  the  25th  of  September,  1918,  were  almost 
complete.  More  than  650,000  American  troops  were  hurrying  day 
and  night  to  take  up  their  places  in  the  line.  The  whole  Hindenburg 
line  contained  no  section  more  difficult  than  that  assigned  to  the 
American  Army.  This  great  offensive  operation  was  a  part  of  the 
general  program  to  break  the  German  line.  The  objective  for  the 
American  Army  was  a  point  opposite  Sedan  on  the  Meuse,  to  reach 
which  it  was  necessary  to  drive  the  enemy  entirely  out  of  the  Ar- 
gonne, a  section  he  had  held  tenaciously  for  four  years. 

The  distance  of  more  than  three  hundred  miles  was  covered  by 
the  92nd  Division  in  troop  trains  by  the  afternoon  of  the  23rd.  With 
all  equipment  and  supplies  each  unit  was  in  place  by  the  moraing  of 
the  24th  of  September.  Division  headquarters  was  established  in 
echelons  at  Triacourt  and  Beauchamp,  sixteen  kilometers  apart. 

The  Argonne  is  a  narrow  oblong  strip  of  territory  extending 
almost  north  and  south  between  the  Aisne  and  the  Aire,  with  a  ridge 
of  hills  through  almost  its  entire  length,  skirted  by  the  river  valleys 
on  either  side.  Several  villages  are  located  in  the  region,  but  the 
greater  part  is  densely  wooded,  with  gorges  and  ravines.  In  length 
it  is  nearly  thirty  miles  from  Grand  Pre  at  one  end  to  Triacourt  at 
the  other,  and  varies  in  width  from  eight  to  fifteen  miles.    The  entire 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  141 

section  is  crossed  by  only  two  main  wagon  roads  and  one  railroad. 
On  the  western  side  is  St.  Menehould,  on  the  eastern  side  is  Clermont. 
To  the  east  a  few  kilometers  lies  battered  Verdun,  while  westward  of 
St.  Menehould  90  kilometers  lies  naked  Rheims.  The  line  of  rail- 
road running  from  Metz  to  Paris  and  passing  through  Verdun,  Cler- 
mont, St.  Menehould,  and  Eheims,  bisects  the  Argonne  forest  at 
Les  Islets.  The  entire  area  of  the  strip  is  less  than  500  square  miles 
and  yet  because  of  the  rugged  terrain  and  impassable  forests,  the 
Allies  found  this  section  the  most  difficult  of  the  whole  line  from 
which  to  dislodge  the  enemy.  Throughout  the  whole  period  of  the 
war  this  forest  remained  the  scene  of  the  fiercest  struggles.  It  was 
overrun  in  1914  when  the  German  army  advanced  to  the  Marne  after 
driving  its  wedge  between  Verdun  and  Rheims.  After  four  years 
of  fighting  in  which  the  German  army  had  been  pushed  back  grad- 
ually, that  portion  of  the  Argonne  between  the  line  of  railroad  and 
Grand  Pre  still  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  On  the  date 
of  the  beginning  of  the  Argonne-Meuse  offensive,  more  than  21  divi- 
sions of  the  American  Army  held  this  portion  of  the  line,  while  the 
enemy  had  more  than  40  divisions  opposite. 

A  change  in  the  disposition  of  allied  troops  made  it  necessary 
for  the  368th  Infantry  to  take  over  the  sector  opposite  Binarville 
on  the  25th  of  September.  At  this  time  the  368th  Infantry  was  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Fred  R.  Brown  with  the  following  battalion  com- 
manders :  First  battalion.  Major  John  H.  Merrill ;  second  battalion, 
Major  Max  Elser;  third  battalion.  Major  Benjamin  F.  Norris.  For 
this  engagement,  the  regiment  cooperated  with  the  French  forces,  the 
4th  French  Army,  commanded  by  General  Gourard.  Moving  over 
from  Vienne-le-Chateau  it  took  up  a  position  on  the  left  of  the 
American  forces  and  on  the  right  flank  of  the  French. 

The  sector  held  by  the  368th  Regiment  formed  an  irregular 
triangle  projecting  forward  beyond  the  general  line.  In  front  of 
this  position  vast  stretches  of  enemy  wire  entanglement  extended  at 
intervals  in  all  the  intervening  ''no-man's-land."  Beyond  this  wire 
entanglement  were  numerous  concealed  machine-gun  emplacements. 
At  this  point  the  fighting  was  harder  than  anything  the  Division  had 
experienced  up  to  that  time.  At  least  two  unsuccessful  attempts  were 
made  to  advance  before  the  first  objectives  were  reached.  The  total 
casualties  exceeded  450  men  killed,  wounded  and  gassed.    Among  the 


142  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

casualties  in  this  action,  the  following  officers  were  killed:  Lieut. 
Norwood  C.  Fairfax  and  Captain  Walter  Green  of  the  368th  Infantry. 
During  the  five  days  in  which  the  368th  held  this  position  a  total 
advance  of  five  kilometers  was  made  and  the  village  of  Binarville 
was  taken. 

Infantry  Activities  of  the  Division 

The  following  statement  indicates  somewhat  in  detail  the  In- 
fantry activities  of  the  92nd  Division :  On  August  23, 1918,  the  entire 
92nd  Division  except  the  artillery  moved  from  the  training  area  into 
the  St.  Die  (Vosges)  sector,  to  relieve  the  5th  Regular  U.  S.  Army 
Division.  The  front  line  trenches  of  this  sector  were  established 
60  days  after  the  opening  of  the  war  and  had  not  changed  until  the 
taking  of  the  village  of  Frapelle.  More  than  three  years  of  attack 
and  counterattack  had  caused  both  the  French  and  Germans  to 
conclude  that  the  Vosges  Mountains  offered  too  many  difficulties  for 
either  to  advance  and  hold.  This  bit  of  rugged  terrain  had  been 
used  by  both  sides  as  a  ' '  rest  sector. ' '  About  the  middle  of  August, 
1918,  the  6th  Infantry  of  the  5th  Eegular  U.  S.  A.  Division  in  an 
early  morning  surprise  attack  captured  the  village  of  Frapelle. 
This  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  town  taken  by  an  American  unit 
independent  of  any  assistance  from  the  French.  Frapelle  controlled 
a  very  important  highway  and  its  loss  by  the  Germans  threatened 
a  railroad  which  was  much  used  to  convey  troops  and  military 
supplies  into  Southeast  Alsace. 

Before  the  6th  Infantry  had  time  to  reorganize  to  hold  the 
newly  captured  territory,  the  366th  Infantry  (colored  troops)  was 
ordered  to  relieve  them.  The  Germans  w^ere  very  angry  at  this 
loss  and  hurriedly  moved  Prussian  troops  in  to  replace  Alsatian 
Guards  (second  class  troops)  and  supplemented  the  sector  artillery 
with  many  heavy  guns.  Counterattacks  began  immediately  upon  the 
arrival  of  the  new  troops  and  many  efforts  were  made  to  retake  the 
village.  The  casualties  of  the  6th  Infantrj''  were  probably  larger 
than  the  accomplishment  would  seem  to  merit.  Wliile  the  relief  of 
the  6th  Infantry  by  the  366th  was  in  progress  a  bombardment  of 
Frapelle  took  place  which  lasted  four  hours,  and  not  a  wall  in  the 
entire  town  was  left  standing.  The  Catholic  church  steeple  was  the 
last  to  topple  over.  That  this  had  ceased  to  be  a  ''quiet  sector"  was 
learned  by  the  first  company  of  the  366th  Infantry  the  very  night 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  143 

they  entered  the  trenches,  for  two  men  were  killed  and  six  severely 
wounded  before  the  relief  was  completed.  In  this  sector  the  ''dough- 
boys" of  the  366th  were  first  introduced  to  a  flame-projector  attack. 
There  the  Germans  also  had  air-superiority,  and  when  the  weather 
was  clear,  the  front  line  trenches  v/ere  bombed  from  above. 

In  addition  to  their  systematic  daily  program  of  artillery  fire, 
one  and  at  times  two  barrages  were  placed  over  the  front  line  posi- 
tions. Aeroplanes  flying  above  often  directed  the  fire  for  more  than 
thirty  minutes  at  a  time  before  being  driven  away  by  the  French 
anti-aircraft  guns.  The  roads  traveled  by  the  supply  trains  were 
bombed,  shelled  with  shrapnel,  high-explosive  and  gas  shells  every 
night. 

Enemy  Defeated  with  the  Bayonet 

After  the  first  week  in  this  sector  the  men  of  this  (366th)  regi- 
ment, not  only  took  complete  possession  of  "no-man's-land,"  but 
made  nightly  patrols  over  the  first  and  second  line  trenches  of  the 
enemy.  One  bright  Sunday  morning  after  being  in  the  trenches  two 
weeks,  the  Germans  following  closely  behind  a  most  terrific  bom- 
bardment, which  battered  down  two  front  line  dugouts,  entered  the 
front  line  trenches  and  after  a  hand-to-hand  bayonet  encounter  were 
forced  to  retire  in  complete  disorder.  After  this  first  and  only  time 
that  the  Germans  actually  entered  the  trenches,  they  seemed  to  con- 
clude that  the  Negro  infantryman  knew  how  to  use  ' '  cold  steel ' '  and 
that  he  was  not  to  be  driven  from  his  post.  Snipers,  machine  guns 
and  artillery  alone  were  used  against  him  after  that  one  attack.  At 
night  motor  trucks  armed  with  light  artillery  and  machine  guns 
were  sent  forward  to  commanding  positions  on  the  enemy  side  and 
the  strong  points  shelled.  With  the  aid  of  bright  rockets  on  moon- 
light nights  during  the  early  part  of  September,  1918,  these  same 
trucks  were  used,  and  often  very  effectively,  against  the  patrols  in 
"no-man's-land." 

During  the  28  days  in  the  St.  Die  sector  the  men  of  the  366th 
Regiment  gained  a  confidence  in  themselves  and  their  weapons,  such 
as  could  never  have  come  in  a  camp  or  training  area.  They  learned 
coordination  and  a  real  love  for  the  Y\"ar  game.  It  became  difficult  to 
send  out  small  patrols,  for  every  officer  and  man  desired  to  par- 
ticipate.    Company  commanders  in  order  to  settle  disputes  as  to 


144  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

priority  among  the  volunteers  for  night  patrols  and  raiding  parties 
were  compelled  to  promise  places  days  in  advance  of  orders. 

Many  officers  of  the  366th  Infantry  think  the  regiment  lost  its 
best  opportunity  in  this  sector  because  orders  were  never  received 
allowing  them  to  advance.  The  mission  of  the  regiment  was  to 
reorganize  the  captured  territory  and  hold  at  any  cost.  They  did 
this  and  more.  Eaiding  parties  succeeded  in  driving  the  German 
patrols  from  '' no-man's-land"  and  out  of  their  own  front  line 
trenches  at  night,  without  assistance  from  the  French  sector  artillery, 
which  was  inactive  most  of  the  time,  and  being  situated  beyond  range 
was  ineffective  in  silencing  enemy  batteries  when  it  did  fire.  Ten 
days  before  leaving  the  sector  it  was  generally  recognized  that  the 
regiment  had  superiority  in  all  arms  and  could,  it  is  believed  by  its 
officers,  have  gone  over  and  captured  the  villages  of  Beaulay  and 
Provenchires,  thereby  bettering  their  position,  with  fewer  casualties 
than  were  sustained  by  remaining  in  the  valley  of  the  Fave. 

The  March  to  the  Argonne 

Eelieved  by  the  "Wildcat"  Division  and  a  battalion  of  French 
troops  the  366th  Infantry,  weary  and  badly  rest-broken,  moved  back 
for  what  was  rumored  to  be  a  rest.  After  a  20-kilometer  march  with 
heavy  packs  over  the  flinty  roads  of  the  Vosges  Mountains  to  the 
railroad,  they  were  entrained  with  other  units  of  the  92nd  Division 
and  rushed  to  the  village  of  Le  Chemin,  arriving  there  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  23rd  of  September,  1918.  The  92nd  Division  Headquarters 
was  established  at  St.  Menehould.  At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening 
of  September  23rd,  in  a  very  heavy  rain,  a  start  was  made  for  the 
Foret  d'Argonne.  The  march  from  St.  Die  to  Granges,  which  was 
very  hard  on  the  men,  proved  disastrous  to  the  horses  and  mules. 
The  road  from  Le  Chemin  to  Camp  D'ltalien  was  strewn  with  dead 
animals  and  equipment  which  had  to  be  abandoned  for  want  of 
transportation.  Most  of  the  men  of  the  1st  and  3rd  Battalions  of 
this  regiment  removed  their  shoes,  while  on  the  train,  for  the  first 
time  in  ten  days ;  this  condition  was  but  a  trifle  worse  with  the  officers 
and  men  of  the  2nd  Battalion,  who  had  been  in  the  front  line  trenches 
twenty  days  under  the  most  terrifying  artillery  fire.  In  recognition 
of  the  splendid  services  rendered  during  this  period  eighteen  Distin- 
guished Service  Crosses  were  awarded  the  men  of  this  battalion. 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  145 

Eesting  in  the  woods  of  Camp  d'ltalien  without  shelter  except 
from  pup  tents  during  the  day  of  the  24th,  another  start  was  made 
that  night  and  after  marching  nine  kilometers,  a  part  of  which  was 
over  the  famous  Verdun  highway,  Camp  Cabaud  was  reached  early 
in  the  morning  and  rest  once  more  established.  The  march  over  tho 
Verdun  highway  that  night  will  never  be  forgotten  by  the  thousands 
of  soldiers  racing  for  a  place  in  the  great  offensive  of  the  First 
American  Army.  Several  miles  of  trucks  were  stranded  along  this 
highway;  congestion  was  never  worse  on  anj  -^oad.  After  several 
days'  rain  the  shell-torn  roads  caused  some  of  the  trucks  to  turn 
end  for  end;  some  were  on  one  side,  while  others  w^ere  completely 
upside  down.  Every  effort  on  the  part  of  the  Military  Police  failed 
to  keep  trucks  and  troops  moving.  Ammunition  having  the  right  of 
way  over  everything,  forced  infantry  and  even  ambulances  to  halt. 

Roads  Blocked  with  Trucks 

Determined  to  keep  transportation  moving,  trucks  were  ordered 
forward  over  the  left  side  of  the  road,  when  the  right  had  become 
solidly  blocked.  Despite  the  skill  and  ingenuity  of  higher  com- 
manders, for  both  Major  Generals  and  Brigadier  Generals  left  their 
automobiles  and  vied  with  Colonels  in  spending  every  human  energy 
in  an  effort  to  open  the  roads,  the  left  side  of  the  road  became  blocked 
about  midnight  and  for  seven  kilometers  trucks  and  troops  were 
banked  together  in  mud  and  mire.  The  infantry,  moving  forward 
by  file  in  small  detachments,  finally  reached  the  woods  above  Passa- 
vant-en-Argonne  about  5  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  sky,  though 
cloudy  that  night  after  the  rain,  was  well  lighted  by  the  continuous 
flash  from  the  big  guns.  The  roar  was  deafening.  Hearing  one 
speak  in  ordinarj^  tones  beyond  a  few  feet  was  impossible,  though 
we  were  ten  to  twelve  kilometers  from  the  battery  positions.  It  was 
not  the  ordinary  noise  of  the  battle  front  that  night;  every  soldier 
knew  that  a  something  different  was  '^ coming  off."  Single  guns 
could  not  be  heard;  no,  not  even  single  batteries;  it  was  just  one 
continuous  roar.  So  numerous  were  the  guns  and  so  regular  the  fire 
that  the  discharge  could  not  be  distinguished  from  the  burst  of  the 
shells. 

Secret  Field  Order  No.  13,  Headquarters  92nd  Division,  made  this 


146  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

division,  less  the  368tli  Infantry,  a  Corps  Reserve  and  designated  its 
station  as  '^the  woods  north  of  Clermont."  Hardly  had  these  woods 
(Camp  Cabaud)  been  reached  when,  by  verbal  order  of  the  Brigade 
Commander,  the  1st  Battalion  of  the  366th  Infantry  w^as  ordered 
to  go  forward  and  build  a  road  across  '* no-man's-land."  The  ar- 
tillery of  the  First  Army  had  done  its  w^ork  well,  the  infantry  attack- 
ing waves  of  the  assaulting  divisions  were  moving  foi-ward.  In 
order  that  the  heavy  guns,  ammunition,  and  supplies  might  follow 
in  close  touch  with  the  rapidly  advancing  troops,  roads  had  to  be 
built  in  great  haste. 

Amid  gas,  shrapnel,  and  high  explosive  shells,  w^ith  but  few 
casualties,  this  battalion  did  its  work.  So  rapid  was  the  advance  the 
first  few  days  that  the  entire  183rd  Brigade,  which  included  both 
the  366th  and  365th  Infantry,  were  ordered,  in  conjunction  with  the 
317th  Engineers  (also  of  the  92nd  Division),  to  move  forward  and 
engage  in  the  work  of  making  roads.  In  speaking  of  this  work, 
General  Pershing  says  in  his  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  dated 
November  20, 1918 :  "We  had  gained  our  point  of  forcing  the  battle 
into  the  open  and  were  prepared  for  the  enemy's  reaction,  which 
was  bound  to  come  as  he  had  good  roads  and  ample  railroad  facil- 
ities for  bringing  up  his  artillery  and  reserves.  In  the  chill  rain  of 
dark  nights  our  engineers  had  to  build  new  roads  across  spongy, 
shell  torn  areas,  repair  broken  roads  beyond  no-man's-land,  and 
build  bridges.  Our  gunners,  with  no  thought  of  sleep,  put  their 
shoulders  to  the  w^heels  and  drag-ropes  to  bring  their  guns  through 
the  mire  in  support  of  the  infantry,  now  under  the  increasing  fire  of 
the  enemy's  artillery.  Our  attack  had  taken  the  enemy  by  surprise, 
but,  quickly  recovering  himself,  he  began  to  fire  counterattacks  in 
strong  force,  supported  by  heavy  bombardments,  with  large  qucm- 
tities  of  gas." 

Third  Sector  Held  by  the  Division 

About  the  5th  of  October  the  92nd  Division  was  withdrawn  from 
this  sector  and  ordered  to  the  Marbache  sector.  This  sector  extended 
along  the  Moselle  river  from  Marbache  to  Pont-a-Mousson,  a  dis- 
tance of  16  kilometers.  The  troops  of  the  Division  took  up  a  position 
on  a  line  crossing  the  river  at  right  angles  and  resting  on  both  sides 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  147 

of  the  picturesque  stream.  Division  headquarters  was  established 
at  Marbache.  The  elements  of  the  Division  were  distributed  in  Belle- 
ville, Millery,  Saizerais,  Dieulouard,  Pont-a-Mousson,  Jezainville, 
Loisy,  Ste.  Genevieve,  Ville-au-val,  Norroy,  Montauville,  Port-sur- 
Seille,  and  Lesmesnils. 

This  section  lies  directly  south  of  Metz  in  distances  varying 
from  10  to  14  kilometers.  According  to  the  plans  of  the  Commander- 
in-Chief,  Metz  was  selected  as  one  of  the  next  important  objectives 
in  the  forward  movement  of  the  American  Army.  With  several  lines 
of  railroads  centering  at  Metz  and  passing  into  Germany,  its  use 
as  a  base  of  the  German  army,  and  its  location,  it  was  considered  an 
important  strategic  point.  At  the  same  time  it  was  strongly  pro- 
tected by  many  outlying  forts  manned  with  powerful  guns. 

In  the  chosen  plan  of  isolating  Metz,  the  92nd  Division  would 
have  occupied  a  prominent  place  between  the  Moselle  and  the  Seille 
and  nearer  than  any  other  unit  to  German  soil  (Lorraine).  These 
plans  were  interrupted  by  the  signing  of  the  armistice  on  November 
11,  1918. 

The  position  of  the  enemy  opposite  the  92nd  Division  in  the 
Marbache  sector  was  strengthened  by  the  fortifications  of  Metz. 
For  this  reason,  the  enemy  was  not  falling  back  in  this  region  as  he 
was  doing  in  other  parts  of  the  now  shattered  Hindenburg  line  farther 
to  the  north,  but  was  stubbornly  holding  his  ground  until  forced  to 
fall  back. 

Active  operations  commenced  in  this  sector  about  the  8th  of 
October.  The  69tli  French  Artillery  was  relieved  from  the  Division 
on  the  10th  of  October  by  the  62nd  Field  Artillery  Brigade,  American 
Expeditionary  Forces.  By  the  middle  of  October  the  greater  part 
of  the  Division's  forces  had  crossed  to  the  east  hank  of  the  Moselle 
and  was  pressing  the  enemy  steadily  back  to  second  line  positions. 
Patrols  and  raiding  parties  kept  in  constant  touch  with  the  enemy  all 
along  the  front,  with  ever-increasing  artillery  bombardments.  Dur- 
ing the  early  days  of  November  the  enemy  was  driven  from  numerous 
positions  which  he  held  for  many  months  and  which  were  strongly 
fortified.  Reference  to  this  series  of  rapid  offenses  launched  by  the 
92nd  Division,  in  which  the  enemy  was  routed,  is  made  in  the  follow- 
ing memorandum  from  the  Commanding  General : 


148  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

HEADQUARTERS  92nD  DIVISION  AMERICAN  EXPEDITIONARY  FORCES 

A.  P.  0.  766 

7  November  1918. 

OPERATING   MEMORANDUM  NO,   41. 

1.  When  the  Marbache  sector  was  taken  over  by  the  92nd  Division,  the 
Germans  owned  "No-man's-land"  and  were  aggressive.  They  held  Belle  Air 
Farm,  Bois  de  Tete  d'Or,  Bois  Frehaut,  Voivrotte  Farm,  Voivrotte  Wood, 
Bois  de  Cheminot,  Moulon  Brook. 

2.  The  consistent,  aggressive  action  of  our  patrols,  night  and  day,  has 
resulted  in  many  casualties  to  the  enemy,  and  the  capture  of  many  prisoners. 

3.  Each  of  the  places  named  above  has  been  raided,  as  has  Eply  also, 
and  patrols  have  penetrated  north  nearly  to  the  east  and  west  line  through 
Pagny.  The  enemy  has  been  driven  northward  beyond  Frehaut  and  Voivrotte 
Woods,  and  eastward  from  Cheminot  Woods  across  the  Seille,  destroj'^ing  the 
Cheminot  Bridge,  flooding  the  Seille  and  attempting  to  destroy  the  Seille 
bridge — evidence  of  the  fact  that  he  regards  the  92nd  Division  as  an  uncom- 
fortable neighbor,  with  whom  Jie  intends  to  avoid  close  relations  in  tJie  future. 

4.  West  of  the  river  excellent  results  have  also  followed  energetic  offen- 
sive action.  The  enemy  has  suffered  losses  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners 
during  the  brief  occupancy  of  this  part  of  the  sector. 

5.  The  results  should  greatly  stimulate  and  encourage  every  man  of  the 
Division.  With  the  prospect  of  efficient  artillery  support  in  the  future, 
there  will  be  no  let-up  in  the  hammering  of  the  enemy  wherever  found. 

6.  Unit  commanders  will  promptly  submit  reports  of  all  specially  meri- 
torious action  of  officers  and  enlisted  men,  in  order  that  the  same  may  be 
appropriately  recognized. 

7.  This  will  be  read  to  all  troops  of  the  92nd  Division. 

By  Command  of  Major-General  Ballou: 

(Signed)     Aij.en  J.  Greer, 
Colonel,  General  Staff,  Chief  of  Staff. 

Our  own  artillery  brigade  and  ammunition  train  complete,  joined 
the  Division  about  the  18th  of  October,  1918.  The  splendid  work  of 
the  artillery  units  soon  showed  itself  in  the  effective  support  given 
in  the  capture  of  objectives  taken  from  well-trained  and  seasoned 
soldiers — ^positions  that  had  been  organized  and  strengthened  for 
more  than  four  years. 

An  attack  on  Pagny  and  other  positions  of  the  enemy  was 
ordered  by  the  Commanding  General  of  the  183rd  Brigade,  92ud  Divi- 
sion, to  start  at  5  A.  M.,  November  10,  1918.  This  attack  was  under 
way  and  progressing  when  orders  to  cease  hostilities  were  received 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  149 

on  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  November.  A  report  of  that  operation 
is  appended.  Another  report  by  the  Division  Commander  is  also 
appended. 

HEADQUARTERS  183rD  BRIGADE 

A.  P.  0.  No.  766,  France, 

November  19,  1918. 
FROM:  Commanding  General,  183rd  Brigade. 

TO:  Commanding  General,  92nd  Division. 

SUBJECT:     Report  on  Offensive  Operations. 

1.  On  November  8,  1918,  the  183rd  Infantry  Brigade  was  garrisoning 
a  portion  of  the  Allied  line  immediately  east  of  the  Moselle  river  and  extend- 
ing from  Pont-a-Mousson  (east  bank  of  Moselle  river  inclusive  to  Clemery, 
exclusive).  This  portion  of  the  general  front  was  known  as  Marbache  Sector. 
Marbache  Sector  was  normally  divided  into  sub-sectors,  namely,  the  sub- 
sector  Seille,  and  the  sub-sector  Mousson.  The  sub-sector  Seille  comprised  one 
center  of  resistance,  the  sub-sector  Seille  two,  namely  from  East  to  West  Les 
Menils  and  Mousson. 

2.  On  November  8,  1918,  plans  were  made  at  Brigade  Headquarters  for 
an  attack  to  be  executed  on  the  morning  of  November  10,  on  the  Bois  Frehaut 
and  the  Bois  Voivrotte  by  two  battalions  of  infantry,  each  battalion  sup- 
ported by  its  machine-gun  company.  The  co-operation  of  the  divisional  artil- 
lery was  procured  for  this  attack.  Trench  mortars  and  37-mm.  guns  were  to 
support  the  attack.  The  object  of  this  attack  was  to  capture  and  hold  the 
Bois  Frehaut  and  the  Bois  Voivrotte  with  the  object  of  advancing  the  line 
of  observation  of  the  Marbache  Sector  to  the  northern  boundary  of  these 
woods. 

Operation  Order  No.  7,  Hq.  183rd  Brigade,  Nov.  8,  was  issued  describing 
the  details  of  this  attack. 

3.  The  attack  was  to  be  made  on  the  Bois  Frehaut  by  the  2nd  Bn.,  365th 
Inf.,  Major  Warner  A.  Ross,  commanding.  The  attack  on  the  Bois  Voivrotte 
was  to  be  made  by  two  platoons,  2nd  Bn.,  366th  Inf.  At  the  zero  hour,  one 
platoon,  366th  Inf.,  was  to  occupy  the  Bois  Cheminot  in  order  to  cover 
Cheminot  bridge. 

4.  On  Nov.  8  Marbache  Sector  was  garrisoned  as  follows :  C.  R.  Seille, 
by  the  3d  Bn.,  366th  Inf.  and  Co.  A,  350th  M.  G.  Bn. ;  C.  R.  Les  Menils,  by 
the  3rd  Bn.,  365th  Inf.  and  Co.  B  350th  M.  G.  Bn. ;  C.  R.  Mousson,  by  the 
1st  Bn.,  365th  Inf.  and  Machine  Gun  Co.,  365th  Inf. 

The  2nd  Bn.,  366th  Inf.,  and  Co.  C,  350th  M.  G.  Bn.,  were  in  support 
position  southern  part  Foret  de  Facq.  The  2nd  Bn.  365th  Inf.,  and  Co.  D, 
350th  M.  G.  Bn.,  were  in  support  position  western  part  Foret  de  Facq.    The 


150  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

1st  Bn.,  366th  Inf.,  and  the  M.  G.  Co.,  366th  Inf.,  were  held  as  Brigade  Re- 
serve at  Bezaumont. 

5.  On  the  afternoon  of  Nov.  9,  the  2nd  Bn.,  365th  Inf.,  was  in  Pont-a- 
Mousson,  the  2nd  Bn.,  366th  Inf.,  in  the  northern  part  of  Foret  de  Facq, 
where  they  had  been  placed  in  preparation  for  the  attack  as  specified  above. 
The  zero  hour  for  the  attack  had  been  given  for  5  A.  M,,  November  10, 

6.  The  plans  for  the  attack  were  changed  by  telephone  instructions  from 
the  Commanding  General,  92nd  Division,  to  the  Commanding  General,  183rd* 
Brigade,  received  12 :45  A.  M.,  Nov.  10.  These  instructions  were  to  the  effect 
that  the  second  American  Army  would  attack  on  the  morning  of  Nov.  10 
at  7 :00  A.  M. ;  that  the  92nd  Division  would  attack  at  that  hour,  pushing  the 
advance  as  expeditiously  as  possible,  and  holding  all  captured  ground. 

Telephone  messages  were  immediately  sent  the  attacking  troops,  changing 
the  hour  for  the  attack  from  5:00  to  7:00  A.  M.  The  Commanding  General, 
183rd  Brigade,  with  the  Brigade  Adjutant,  started  out  at  2 :00  A.  M.  by  auto- 
mobile to  consult  the  Commanding  Officer,  365th  Inf.  and  366th  Inf.,  with 
reference  to  the  change  in  plans.  Both  of  these  officers  were  notified  as  to 
the  new  plans,  and  given  preliminary  instructions  as  to  their  execution.  The 
Brigade  Reserve  Bn.  was  ordered  alerted  and  moved  to  Camp  Schnable,  Foret 
de  Facq.    The  supporting  artillery  was  notified  as  to  the  change  of  plans. 

7.  At  6 :15  A.  M.,  Nov.  10,  F.  0.  No,  24,  C.  S.  92nd  Div.  was  received. 
At  7:00  A.  M.,  Nov.  10,  attack  as  specified  in  Operation  Orders  No.  7 

above  was  launched. 

At  7 :25  A.  M.,  F.  0.  No.  19,  183rd  Brigade,  was  issued.  This  order  was 
based  on  F.  0.  No.  24,  92nd  Division,  as  above,  and  required  the  advance  to 
be  pushed  beyond  the  objective  as  ordered  in  Operation  Order  No.  7.  It  was 
in  accord  with  verbal  instructions  given  Regimental  Commanders  the  early 
morning  of  Nov.  10. 

8.  At  8:00  A.  M.,  information  was  received  that  the  French  Division 
on  our  right  was  not  attacking.  Telephone  instructions  were  then  sent  to  the 
Commanding  Officer  366th  Inf.  to  hold  his  3rd  Bn.  in  C.  R.  Seille,  and  to  have 
his  3rd  Bn.  maintain  liaison  between  the  French  Division  on  our  right  and  the 
attacking  troops. 

At  8:12  A.  M.,  a  pigeon  message  was  received  from  the  C.  O,  2nd  Bn., 
366th  Inf.,  by  runner,  and  relayed  by  telephone,  to  the  effect  that  the  Bois 
Voivrotte  had  been  completely  occupied  and  that  three  prisoners  had  been 
taken. 

At  9:00  A.  M.  a  message  was  received  that  sharp  fighting  by  machine 
guns  was  going  on  in  the  Bois  Voivrotte  and  the  Bois  Frehaut. 

At  10:00  A.  M.,  a  runner  message  was  received  from  the  Commanding 
Officer,  2nd  Bn.,  365th  Inf.,  to  the  effect  that  they  were  being  heavily  shelled 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  151 

in  the  Bois  Frehaut  by  enemy  artillery,  and  requesting  counter  battery  fire; 
it  was  also  stated  that  their  advance  had  almost  reached  the  northern  edge  of 
Bois  Frehaut.  Heavy  artillery  was  asked  to  counter-fire  on  enemy  artillery, 
which  they  promptly  did. 

At  10 :30  A.  M.  a  message  from  the  Division  was  received  that  the  attack 
of  the  367th  Inf.,  184th  Brigade,  had  been  repulsed  (on  our  left),  but  that 
two  companies  were  being  sent  forward  to  reinforce  their  attack. 

At  11 :15  A.  M.,  a  message  from  the  C.  0.  2nd  Bn.,  365th  Inf.,  to  the 
effect  that  Bois  Frehaut  was  completely  occupied,  that  Boches  were  shelling 
woods  with  gas  and  high  explosives,  and  requesting  counter  battery  fire. 

At  11 :16,  Heavy  Artillery  asked  to  counter  fire  on  German  battery,  which 
they  promptly  did. 

At  11 :30,  the  Commanding  General,  167th  F.  A.  Brigade,  called  in  con- 
sultation in  reference  to  artillery  preparation  for  a  further  advance.  After 
consultation,  it  was  decided  to  l)ring  forward  reinforcements,  and  to  launch 
a  new  attack  on  the  strong  enemy  positions  of  Champey,  Bouxieres,  and  La 
Cote  at  5 :00  P.  M. 

11:50 — Telephonic  orders  to  Commanding  Officer,  365th  Inf.,  to  move 
his  1st  Bn.  to  the  northern  edge  of  Foret  de  Facq  as  Brigade  reserve,  and  to 
move  his  P.  C.  to  C.  R.  Les  Menils,  and  take  command  of  the  advancing  troops 
of  his  regiment. 

12:00  M. — Information  from  Commanding  General,  92nd  Div.,  that  one 
Bn..  368  Inf.,  was  moving  to  Pont-a-Mousson,  east  bank  of  river,  as  reserv^e 
of  183rd  Brigade;  that  368th  Inf.,  less  one  Bn.,  would  be  concentrated  at 
Camp  Schnable  as  Division  Reserve. 

1:05  P.  M.— F.  0.  No.  20,  183rd  Brigade,  issued;  2:00  P.  M.,  365th  Inf. 
reports  capture  one  Boche,  Bois  Frehaut. 

3 :05  P.  M.— Telephonic  message  from  C.  0.  2nd  Bn.,  366th  Inf.,  that  he 
had  withdrawn  his  lines  to  southern  edge  of  Bois  Voivrotte  because  of  heavy 
enemy  shelling,  high  explosives  and  gas  in  woods. 

3 :55  P.  I\I. — Orders  received  from  Commanding  General,  92nd  Division, 
not  to  launch  attack  as  planned  for  5  :00  P.  U.,  but  to  consolidate  positions 
gained,  holding  them  at  all  costs  against  possible  counter-attacks. 

4:00  P.  M. — Telephonic  message  sent  Commanding  Officer  365th-366th 
Inf.,  C.  G.  167th  F.  A.  Brigade  to  this  effect. 

4:10  P.  M. — Operation  IMemo.  Hq.  183rd  Brigade  issued. 

5 :50  P.  M.— Telephonic  instructions  to  C.  0.  365th  Inf.,  366th  Inf.,  and 
C.  G.  167th  F.  A.  that  attack  specified  in  F.  0.  No.  20  would  be  made  at  5 :00 
A.  M.  on  Nov.  11. 

6:00  P.  M.— F.  0.  No.  21  issued. 

6 :30  P.  M. — F.  0.  No.  25cs  92nd  Division  received. 


152  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

7 :30  P.  M.— Message  from  C.  0.  365th  Inf.  that  1st  Bn.  was  moving  into 
Bois  Frehaut  to  support  of  2nd  Bn. 

November  11. — 5 :00  A.  M.,  attack  launched  as  ordered  in  F,  0.  No.  21. 

Attacking  troops  met  by  strong  enemy  artillery,  machine  gun  and  in- 
fantry fire.  Troops  on  right  had  reached  the  outskirts  of  Bouxieres  by  7 :30 
A.  M.  Troops  on  left  had  advanced  a  short  distance,  but  had  been  forced  to 
retire  to  woods. 

7:18  A.  M. — Telephonic  message  from  Division  to  the  effect  that  Armis- 
tice signed,  effective  at  11  hours,  11th  Nov. ;  that  all  hostilities  must  cease  at 
that  hour.  All  firing  ordered  stopped  by  our  troops  by  10 :45  A.  M.  Firing 
stopped  promptly  at  that  hour. 

The  line  held  by  our  troops  at  the  cessation  of  hostilities  was  as  follows : 

Line  shown  by  co-ordinates.  Map,  Pont-^-Mousson,  1/20,000. 

65-97;  76;  98  (Ferme  de  Ponce)  ;  81:02  (N.  W.  corner)  Bois  Frehaut; 
92-02,  N.  W.  corner  Bois  Frehaut,  93-01 ;  95-01 ;  95-95 ;  01-96,  N.  W.  comer 
Bois  Voivrotte;  07-97,  N.  E.  comer  Bois  Voivrotte;  06-92,  La  Voivrotte 
Ferme ;  02-87 ;  Norroy,  thence  East  and  S.  E.  as  formerly  held ;  19-86 ;  Bois 
Cheminot,  held  as  an  advance  post. 

9.  The  enemy  units  engaged  between  the  Moselle  and  the  Seille  were, 
from  west  to  east,  the  86th  and  30th  Regiments  of  Infantry,  31st  Landwehr 
Brigade,  and  the  47th  Infantry  Regiment.  These  regiments  were  supported 
by  one  Bn.  of  Sharpshooters.  East  of  the  Seille  river  were  the  70th  Infantry 
R-egiment  and  the  6th  Grenadiers,  formerly  10th  Division. 

10.  Summary:  (a)  Our  advance  was  for  about  a  depth  of  3V2  kilo- 
meters. When  this  Brigade  took  over  the  sector  just  east  of  the  Moselle  river 
there  was  a  deep  re-entrant  next  to  the  river,  due  to  the  St.  Mihiel  drive 
which  advanced  the  line  several  kilometers  on  west  bank  of  the  Moselle  river, 
while  the  line  on  the  east  bank  remained  in  place. 

The  attack  on  the  morning  of  Nov.  10,  by  the  units  of  this  Brigade,  wiped 
out  this  re-entrant,  by  advancing  our  lines  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Moselle 
river  a  distance  of  2^4  km. 

The  advance  thus  made  was  held  against  heavy  artillery  and  machine 
gun  fire  and  high  concentration  of  gas.  The  attack  was  renewed  on  the 
morning  of  Nov.  11,  lines  being  advanced  a  distance  of  3^4  km.,  an  original 
line.  Our  liaison  with  the  troops  west  of  the  river  was  thereby  greatly 
improved. 

(b)  A  total  of  six  prisoners  was  captured ;  three  in  the  Bois  Frehaut  and 
three  in  the  Bois  Voivrotte. 

(c)  The  following  material  was  captured:  1,000  (approximately)  gren- 
ades, all  types;  5,000  (approximately)  rounds  ammunition;  25  (approxi- 
mately) boxes  M.  G.  ammunition,  in  belts;  50  (approximately)  rifles  and 
bayonets,  10  (approximately)  pairs  field  glasses,  4  ,(aj)proxdmately)  machioB 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  153 

guns,  6  carrier  pigeons,  1  signal  lamp  and  battery,  2  Verey  pistols,  3  carbide 
lamps,  100  helmets.  Many  overcoats,  boots,  canteens,  belts,  and  other  articles 
of  equipment  were  left  by  the  fleeing  enemy. 

(d)  The  following  were  our  casualties: 

Killed  Wounded  Gassed  Missing  Total 

365th  Infantry 14                67  211                  8  300 

366th  Infantry 17                 52  63                   0  132 

350th  M.  G.  Battalion 1                  0  11                  0  12 

Total    32  119  285  8  444 

(e)  P\ill  use  was  made  of  auxiliary  arms,  machine  guns,  37  mm.  guns, 
Stokes  mortars,  and  rifle  grenades.  All  of  these  weapons,  except  Stokes 
mortars,  were  brought  into  play  in  the  heavy  fighting  in  the  Bois  Frehaut  to 
combat  enemy  machine-gun  nests.  37  mm.  guns  were  pushed  well  to  the 
front  when  direct  fire  at  machine-gun  positions  could  be  obtained.  It  was  to 
the  extensive  use  of  these  weapons  that  the  rapid  advance  through  the  Bois 
Frehaut  was  due.  Machine  guns  were  used  frequently  to  cover  the  flanks  of 
the  attacking  infantry.  They  aided  materially  in  protecting  the  N.  E.  corner 
of  the  Bois  Frehaut  from  an  enemy  counter-attack  from  Bouxieres.  Trench 
mortars  were  placed  in  position  after  the  Frehaut  woods  were  taken,  to  cover 
the  new  front. 

(f )  No  tank  or  gas  troops  were  available  for  this  attack.  Regtl.  and  Bn. 
gas  officers  and  N.  C.  O.'s  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  disinfecting  in- 
fected areas,  posting  gas  alarm  sentinels,  and  upholding  gas  discipline. 

(g)  The  divisional  artillery  supported  both  attacks  with  a  rolling  bar- 
rage, preceding  the  troops.  These  barrages  were  very  well  laid  and  proved 
effective.  It  also  rendered  valuable  work  in  placing  heavy  concentration  fire 
on  enemy  strong  points  and  machine-gun  nests.  Its  counter-battery  work 
was  excellent. 

(h)  The  attack  was  executed  over  a  very  difficult  terrain.  For  a  distance 
of  about  11/2  km.  in  front  of  our  lines,  the  terrain  was  open,  heavily  wired 
with  a  downward  slope.  It  was  well  registered  by  the  enemy  artillery,  as  the 
numerous  shell  holes  over  its  surface  indicated.  The  Bois  Frehaut  is  a  wood 
of  about  1,500  meters  square  and  breaks  the  western  half  of  the  sector  at- 
tacked, about  700  meters  to  the  east  of  the  Bois  Voivrotte,  a  small  wood  about 
600  meters  square.  Both  of  these  woods  were  a  mass  of  heavy  German  wire, 
much  of  it  new.  Their  edges  were  protected  by  bands  of  heavy  wire  and 
chevaux-de-frise.  Both  of  these  woods  were  at  the  foot  of  and  north  of  the 
ridge  of  which  Eon  hill,  a  hill  358  meters  high,  is  the  summit.  From  their 
southern  slopes  the  ground  rises  slightly  for  a  distance  of  about  700  meters, 


154  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

then  falls  again  to  a  deep  ravine  traversing  the  Bois  Frehaut  from  east  to 
west.  It  then  rises  again,  culminating  in  La  Cote  hill,  a  hill  1,500  meters 
north  of  the  Bois  Frehaut,  and  87  meters  higher  than  the  highest  point  of 
the  Bois  Frehaut,  namely,  Hill  260.8.  This  hill  is  heavily  wooded  on  its 
summit,  and  was  strongly  held  by  infantry,  machine  guns,  trench  mortars, 
and  light  artillery.  The  southern  slopes  of  this  hill  were  protected  by  a  small 
wood  about  500  meters  square  about  200  meters  north  of  the  Bois  Frehaut 
and  by  the  strongly  fortified  towns  of  Bouxieres  and  Champey.  These  towns, 
together  with  the  small  wood  in  question,  were  heavily  garrisoned  by  enemy 
infantry  and  machine  guns.  They  formed  together  a  dominating  and  strongly 
organized  position,  protected  by  heavy  bands  of  wire.  Numerous  tank  traps 
had  been  prepared  south  of  this  position.  These  positions  dominated  the 
Bois  Voivrotte,  the  Bois  Frehaut  and  the  ground  to  the  north. 

Co7icliision. — The  lines  held  by  the  Germans  were  unusually  strong. 
Toeing  the  result  of  four  years  of  stabilization  in  that  sector.  Their  artillery 
was  most  active,  as  unquestionably  during  these  years  they  had  registered  on 
every  point  of  importance  in  the  sector.  Furthermore,  their  positions  were 
the  first  line  of  defense  of  Metz.  The  troops  occupying  them  were  young 
efficient  men  and  not  old  soldiers  from  a  rest  sector. 

From  the  time  we  entered  the  sector,  our  patrols  were  very  active,  so 
much  so  that  we  took  complete  possession  of  "no-man's-land."  After  the 
first  few  days  we  were  unable  to  find  any  German  patrols  outside  their  lines. 

Previous  to  November  10,  we  made  several  reconnaissances  in  force  (that 
is,  employing  a  company  in  each  instance)  to  ascertain  if  the  Germans  were 
still  holding  their  lines.  The  abundance  of  machine-gun  fire  developed  in 
each  case,  showed  that  they  were. 

Our  attack  on  the  morning  of  November  10  was  the  first  offensive  move 
made  by  the  Brigade  which  required  artillery  preparation.  The  Command- 
ing Officers  of  units  making  the  attack,  and  also  of  the  artillery,  were  con- 
stantly stating  that  they  were  hurried  into  these  movements  without  proper 
preparation.  Had  they  been  familiar  with  such  operations,  the  time  allowed 
would  have  been  sufficient.  Our  artillery  was  having  its  first  experience  in 
the  line  and  was  meeting  with  the  usual  difficulties:  Lack  of  transportation, 
unfamiliarity  with  sector,  little  opportunity  to  register  on  probable  targets, 
etc. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  some  details  of  the  operation  were  not  carried 
out  as  well  as  might  have  been  done  by  more  experienced  troops.  These  were 
the  results  of  mistaken  judgment  due  to  lack  of  experience,  rather  than  to 
lack  of  the  offensive  spirit.  These  minor  features  have  no  effect  on  the  gen- 
eral outcome. 

From  my  intimate  contact  with  the  troops  making  these  attacks,  I  can 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  155 

state  definitely  that  these  men  were  just  finding  themselves.     The  improve- 
ment in  the  aggressive  spirit  from  day  to  day  was  manifest. 

As  a  summary,  I  desire  to  again  call  attention  to  the  following:  Ist, 
that  we  were  operating  in  a  sector  that  had  been  organized  for  defense  against 
us  for  over  four  years,  and  was  made  unusually  strong  on  account  of  being 
in  front  of  the  great  fortress  Metz ;  2nd,  that  our  inexperienced  troops  were 
operating  against  trained  soldiers  of  the  greatest  military  power  of  the  world ; 
3rd,  that  from  the  time  we  entered  the  sector  our  troops  were  constantly  on 
the  offensive;  4th,  to  the  success  that  was  obtained,  viz.,  removing  the  re- 
entrant and  advancing  our  lines  3I/2  kilometers. 

(Signed)     Malvern  Hill  Barnum, 

Brigadier  General,  U.  S.  A. 

Major  A.  E.  Sawkins,  commanding  the  Second  Battalion  of  the 
366tli  Infantry,  in  referring-  to  the  same  offensive  operations  of 
November  lOth  and  11th,  1918,  said : 

2nd  Battalion,  366th  Infantry, 
17th  November,  1918. 

FROM:  Battalion  Commander. 

TO:  Commanding  General,  92nd  Division. 

SUBJECT:     Conduct  of  troops  in  action. 

1.  Reference  to  action  iu  which  this  battalion  was  engaged  in  Bois  de  la 
Voivrotte  on  10th  and  11th  November,  1918,  the  following  report  is  made  on 
conduct  of  officers  and  men  while  in  action. 

Troops :  2nd  Bn.  366th  Infantry,  Company  C,  350th  M.  G.  Bn.  attached. 
Company  A,  366th  Infantr}\ 

Officers  and  men  deserving  special  mention  have  been  recommended  in 
other  communications.  An  observation  of  the  general  conduct  of  officers  and 
men  is  the  reason  for  this  report.  /  desire  especially  to  call  to  tlie  attention 
of  the  Division  Commander  the  fact  tliat  the  handling  of  their  units  by  the 
company  and  platoon  commanders  was  all  that  could  he  expected  from  the 
most  experienced  officers.  There  was  an  absolute  laek  of  any  disorder,  and  I 
cannot  say  too  much  in  praise  of  the  manner  in  w^hich  these  officers  handled 
their  men.  The  men  responded  as  though  at  a  maneuver,  and  although 
without  food  or  sleep  for  48  hours  at  time  of  the  attack  on  morning  of  the 
1 1th  November,  tlie  men  went  into  action  in  such  a  manner  that  I  feel  proud 
to  command  such  fine,  soldierly  troops. 

(Signed)     A.  E.  Saw^kins, 

Major  366th  Infantry. 


156  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  Commanding  General  of  the  92nd  Division  reported  as  to 
these  operations  of  November  10-11,  1918,  as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS  NINETY-SECOND  DIVISION 

American  Expeditionary  Forces 
A.  P.  0.  766 

30  November,  1918. 
FROM:  The  Commanding  General,  92nd  Division. 

TO:  The  A.  C.  of  S.,  G-3,  G.  H.  Q. 

SUBJECT:    Report  on  Operations  10-11  November,  1918. 

1.  This  report  made  pursuant  to  paragraph  3,  G.  0.  196,  G.  H.  Q., 
American  Expeditionary  Forces,  1918,  embodies  the  operations  of  this  Divi- 
sion during  the  period  10-llth  November,  1918. 

(1)   Sitiuition  at  Beginning  of  Operations 

On  November  9,  1918,  it  having  been  reported  that  the  enemy,  disor- 
ganized, was  retreating  along  the  entire  front,  the  Commanding  General  of 
the  2nd  Army,  of  which  this  division  is  an  element,  gave  the  order  for  an 
attack  at  7  hours,  10th  November,  1918,  along  its  entire  front,  following  the 
enemy  in  his  withdrawal,  pushing  with  all  energy  to  secure  decisive  results, 
and  holding  all  ground  taken.  The  mission  assigned  to  the  Division  was  to 
push  forward  west  of  the  Seille  river,  along  the  heights  on  both  banks  of  the 
Moselle  river  in  the  direction  of  Corny,  maintaining  liaison  with  the  32nd 
Army  Corps  (French)  and  the  7th  Division  on  the  left.  The  western  boun- 
dary of  its  zone  of  action  being  the  same  but  extending  north — Preny  (Excl.) 
— Gorze  (excl.).  At  the  beginning  of  operations  10th  November,  1918,  the 
92ud  Division  of  the  6th  Corps,  2nd  Army,  with  three  regiments  in  line  and 
one  in  reserve,  P.  C.  Marbache,  held  the  Marbache  sector,  constituting  the 
existing  front  of  the  6th  Corps  and  extending  from  Clemery  (Excl.)  to  Preny 
(Excl.).  The  165th  D.  I.  (Fr.),  P.  C.  Custines,  occupied  the  sector  on  the 
right.  The  7th  Division,  P.  C.  Euvezin,  occupied  the  sector  on  the  left.  The 
Divisional  limits  were  as  follows: 

Eastern  Boundary. — Port-sur-Seille  (incl.) — Ste.  Genevieve  (incl.)  — 
Bezamont  (incl.) — Ville-au-Val  (incl.) — Autreville  (incl.) — Belle\dlle  (incl.) 
— Marbache  (incl.) — Sazerais  (incl.). 

Western  Boundary. — Preny  (excl.) — Eastern  edges  of  B.  des  Rappes — 
Villers-sous-Preny  (excl.) — about  one  kilom.  west  of  Montauville — Gezon- 
court  (incl.) — Rogeville  (inch). 

Southern  Boundary. — Roiseres-en-Haye  (excl.) — St.  Georges  (excl.). 

The  portion  of  the  sector  east  of  the  I\Ioselle  was  divided  into  two  sub- 
sectors.     The  dividing  line  being — Ste.  Genevieve  (inclusive)  north  through 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  157 

southern  portion  of  Foret  de  Facq  to  a  point  on  the  Atton-Morville  road  about 
two  km.  N.  E.  of  Atton  (381.2—234.6)  then  N.  B.  along  road  for  1  km.  to 
road  cross,  then  north  by  west  along  Ste-Genevieve-Les  Mennils  road  to  road 
cross  at  (381.5 — 236.5)  (1:50,000)  Cheminot  map,  thence  east  by  north  along 
road  to  front  at  point  383.0 — 237.2.  This  portion  of  the  sector  was  organ- 
ized in  successive  positions,  viz. : 

(a)  A  covering  position  consisting  of  a  line  of  observation  and  a  zone 
of  resistance  and  including  the  special  defense  position  of  the  region  of  Aon. 

(b)  A  position  of  resistance  consisting  of  a  high  line  and  a  low  line. 

The  garrison  east  of  the  Moselle  consisted  of  the  183rd  Brigade  and 
elements  of  Divisional  Machine-Gun  Battalions  (349th)  with  Division  and 
corps  artillery  support.  The  366th  Infantry  with  one  battalion  in  line,  one 
battalion  in  support,  one  battalion  in  reserve,  garrisoned  the  sub-sector  east 
of  the  Division  line.  This  will  be  referred  to  as  C.  R.  Seille.  The  other 
sub-sector  east  of  the  Moselle  was  garrisoned  by  the  365th  Infantry  with  two 
battalions  in  line  and  one  in  support.  The  areas  occupied  by  these  two  bat- 
talions were  referred  to  as  C.  R.  Les  Mesnils  and  C.  R.  Mouson  respectively. 
The  region  included  between  the  Moselle  and  the  western  boundary  of  the 
division  area  was  known  as  the  C.  R.  Vandi^res,  it  was  garrisoned  by  the 
367th  Infantry  with  one  battalion  in  line,  one  battalion  in  support,  and  one 
battalion  in  reserve. 

At  the  commencement  of  operations  units  of  the  Division  were  disposed 
in  conformity  with  its  defensive  mission  announced  in  F.  0.  No.  19,  Hqs.  92nd 
Division,  11  October,  18  (See  Appendix  "A"),  and  amplified  by  F.  0.  No. 
20,  Hqs.  92nd  Division,  24  October  18,  Appendix  "B,"  F.  0.  No.  23,  Hqs. 
92nd  Division,  8  November,  1918  (See  Appendix  "C"). 

In  the  event  of  forward  movement,  advance  P.  C.'s  had  been  selected 
after  reconnaissance  and  had  been  announced.  The  Division  advance  P.  C. 
was  at  Ville-au-Val. 

On  10  November,  1918,  at  3 :30  hours,  P.  0.  No.  4,  Hqs.  6th  Army  Corps 
issued  prescribing  interalia  as  follows: 

"1.  It  is  reported  that  the  enemy,  disorganized,  is  withdrawing  along 
the  entire  front. 

*'The  second  army  will  attack  at  7  hours,  10th  November,  and  follow 
closely  the  enemy  in  his  withdrawal,  pushing  him  with  all  energy  to  secure 
decisive  results,  and  holding  all  grounds  taken. 

*  *  2.  The  6th  Army  Corps  will  attack  in  conjunction  with  the  4th  Army 
Corps  on  the  left. 

"3.  (a)  Tlie  927x4  Division  will  push  forward  west  of  the  Seille  River 
along  the  heights  on  both  sides  of  the  Moselle  River  in  direction  of  Corny.  It 
will  maintain  liaison  with  the  32nd  Army  Corps  (Fr.)  on  its  right  and  the 


158  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

7th  Division  on  its  left ;  Western  boundary  of  its  zone  of  action  being  as  at 
present,  extended  North  as  follows :  Preny  (exel.) — Gorze  (excl.). 

"Artillery  taken  forward  will  be  limited  to  that  which  can  be  fully  horsed 
and  adequately  supplied  with  ammunition. 

"(b)  Corps  Artillery.  Counter  battery  work  on  such  targets  as  may 
be  designated  by  the  Chief  of  Artillery. 

"(e)  The  115tli  Engineers.  Company  D  at  disposal  of  Commanding 
General,  92nd  Division,  Regiment  (less  Company  D)  will  await  orders  in 
Foret  de  Puvenelle.  It  will  be  in  readiness  to  promptly  repair  the  bridge 
across  the  Moselle  River  at  Pont-a-Mouson  and  to  open  and  maintain  road 
communications  North  therefrom. 

"(d)  Tlie  Cliief  of  Air  Service  will  make  the  necessary'  assignments  of 
Artillery,  infantry  and  command  planes,  and  will  prescribe  the  observation 
to  be  executed  by  the  10th  Balloon  Company. 

"(e)  Corps  Signal  Troops  will  maintain  communication  between  92nd 
Division,  Corps  Artillery,  115th  Engineers.  Corps  Air  service  and  these  head- 
quarters." 

*********** 

In  conformity  with  the  foregoing,  the  Division  Commander  having  re- 
ceived advance  information,  issued  F.  0.  No.  24,  Hqs.  92nd  Di\asion,  3  hours, 
10  November,  1918,  as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS   92nD   DIVISION 
AMERICAN  EXPEDITIONARY  FORCES,  A.  P.   O.   766, 

10  November,  1918,  3  hours. 
Field  Order  No.  24. 

1.  2nd  Army  attacks  at  7  hours,  10  November,  1918.  6th  Corps  attacks 
v.ith  Western  boundary  same  as  at  present,  extending  north — Preny  (excl.j 
Gorze  (excl.).     Eastern  limit  of  action — Seille  River. 

2.  92nd  Division  will  attack  in  direction  of  Corny,  advancing  from 
present  front  at  7  hours,  10  November,  1918.  Decisive  results  will  be  ob- 
tained and  all  ground  taken  will  be  held. 

3.  (a)  Division  Artillery  will  support  advance  with  standing  and  roll- 
ing barrage  east  of  the  ^Moselle  in  initial  phase  of  advance,  thereafter  follow- 
ing advancing  infantry  with  all  mobile  elements  and  supporting  further  ad- 
vance as  occasion  presents. 

(b)  183d  Infantry  Brigade  will  attack  east  of  the  Moselle  River  with 
elements  of  two  battalions  in  line  maintaining  liaison  with  the  165th  Division 
(Fr.)  on  the  right. 

(c)  367th  Infantry  will  attack  west  of  the  Moselle  with  two  companies  in 
line  maintaining  close  contact  with  elements  of  the  7th  Division  on  its  left. 

(X)  Liaison  betAveen  advancing  elements  east  and  west  of  the  Moselle 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  159 

will  be  maintained  by  all  means  possible.  Strong  combat  liaison  between  all 
advancing  elements  will  be  maintained  and  liaison  from  front  to  rear  will  be 
given  particular  attention. 

(Y)  Division  reserve  will  await  orders  in  alert  positions. 

4.  Administrative  instructions  follow. 

5.  P.  C.'s  later. 

By  command  of  Major  General  Ballou. 

(Signed)    Allen  J.  Greer, 

Colonel,  General  Staff. 
Chief  of  Staff. 
The  detailed  dispositions  of  the  infantry  and  artillery  units  in  each  of 
these  C.  R. 's  (Centers  of  Resistance)  are  shown  in  the  annexed  reports  of  the 
Commanding  General,  183rd  Brigade,  Commanding  General  167th  Field  Ar- 
tillery Brigade,  and  the  C.  0.  367th  Infantry,  which  are  hereto  appended, 
and  marked  appendices  "D,"  "E,"  and  "F"  respectively. 
(2)    TJie  Attack — A  Chronological  Statement  of  Enemy  Units  Engaged — 

Time  and  Place. 
1918 

9  November,  23  hour.  Instructions  received  from  6th  Army  Corps  in 
advance  of  F.  0.  No.  4,  6th  Army  Corps,  10  November,  1918,  relative  to  pro- 
jected offensive  along  front  of  2nd  Army. 

9  Nov.  23  hr.— Instructions  given  to  C.  G.  183rd  Brig.,  C.  G.  167th  F.  A. 
Brig,,  C.  0.  337th  Inf.,  relative  to  projected  attack  and  in  advance  of  F.  0. 
No.  24,  Hqs.  92nd  Div.,  issued. 

10  Nov.  3  hr. — 10  November,  1918,  at  3  hours.  The  exact  time  when 
these  instructions  were  received  and  detailed  action  taken  shown  on  ap- 
pended reports, 

10  Nov.  4  hr. — Received  F.  0.  No.  4,  Hqs.  6th  Army  Corps,  dated  10 
November,  3 :30  hrs.,  prescribing  attack  and  confirming  telephone  instructions. 

10  Nov,  7  hr, — Attack  initiated  along  front  east  of  IMoselle  between 
Moselle  and  Seille  Rivers.  Division  reserve  in  alert  position  at  the  time  of 
the  attack. 

10  Nov.  8  hr, — Information  received  that  the  French  Division  on  right 
was  not  attacking,  whereupon  C.  0.  365th  Infantry  was  directed  to  hold  3rd 
Battalion  in  C.  R.  Seille  maintaining  liaison  with  the  French  on  right, 

10  Nov,  9  :30  hr.— Attack  by  367th  Infantry  west  of  IMoselle  not  prose- 
cuted because  of  failure  of  the  56th  Infantry,  7th  Division,  to  capture  Preny. 
The  report  of  the  C.  O,  367th  Infantry  at  pages  2  and  3  shows  the  facts  and 
reasons. 

10  Nov.  11  hr. — All  first  objectives  east  of  Moselle  were  attained.  The 
exact  progress  of  the  attack  and  orders  and  messages  sent  and  received  are 


160  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

shown  clearly  in  the  appendices.  They  are  not  reproduced  in  great  detail 
here. 

11  Nov.  1:40  hr. — C.  G.  184th  Brig,  directed  to  proceed  with  two  remain- 
ing battalions  and  other  remaining  combat  elements  of  the  184th  Brigade  to 
Foret  de  Facq,  locating  P.  C.  at  crossroads  at  382.5 — 233.3.  Field  and  com- 
bat trains  to  same  position  after  dark.  Command  to  be  placed  off  road  await- 
ing employment. 

11  Nov.  3 :59 — Artillery  directed  to  put  down  barrage  on  northern  edge 
of  Bois  de  la  Voivrotte,  this  point  not  being  occupied  by  our  troops. 

11  Nov.  4:13 — Five  o'clock  advance  called  off.  Divisional  Artillery  and 
6th  Corps  notified.    Advance  troops  directed  to  organize  first  position. 

11  Nov.  16:30— Received  F.  0.  No.  5,  6th  Army  Corps,  10  November, 
1918,  18  hr.,  directing  continuation  attk. 

10  Nov.  18  hr.— Issued  F.  0.  25,  Hqs.  92nd  Di\asion,  10  November,  1918, 
18  hr.  (Annxd.  as  appendix  "6"),  continuation  of  attack  directed. 

11  Nov.  5  hr. — Attack  launched  on  front  of  183rd  Brigade  between  Seille 
and  Moselle  Rivers,  direction  as  before. 

7:10  hr. — Information  from  6th  A.  C.  received  that  armistice  had  been 
signed,  effective  11  hr.,  11  November,  1918.  Attacking  troops  met  by  strong 
enemy  artillery,  machine-gun  and  infantry  fire. 

11  Nov,  10 :45  A.  M. — All  firing  by  our  troops  ceased  in  accordance  with 
armistice. 

(3)  Statement  of  Enemy  Units  Engaged,  Time  and  Place. 

Inasmuch  as  the  367th  Infantry  operating  west  of  the  Moselle  made  no 
advance  due  to  the  fact  that  it  was  necessary  that  the  7th  Division  should 
first  capture  Preny  before  an  advance  was  practicable.  No  report  is  made 
here  of  enemy  units  engaged  west  of  Moselle.  The  same  condition  applies 
under  subheads  (4)  and  (5)  of  this  report.  The  report  of  the  Commanding 
General  of  the  183rd  Brigade  under  these  heads  is  adopted  with  some  modifi- 
cations as  the  report  of  the  Division  and  to  that  extent  is  embodied  herein. 

The  enemy  units  engaged  by  elements  of  the  183rd  Brigade  betAveen  the 
Moselle  and  the  Seille  were,  from  west  to  east,  the  96th  and  30th  regim.ents 
of  infantry,  31st  Landwehr  Brigade,  and  the  47th  Infantry  regiment.  These 
regiments  were  supported  by  one  battalion  of  sharpshooters.  East  of  the 
Seille  River  the  70th  Infantry  regiment  and  the  6th  Grenadiers,  formerly  10th 
Division,  were  encountered.  See  report  of  the  Commanding  General  183rd 
Brigade,  appended. 

(4)  Summary. 

Our  advance  was  for  a  depth  of  3^2  km.  When  this  Brigade  took  over 
the  sector  just  east  of  the  Moselle  River  there  was  a  deep  re-entrant  next  to 
the  river,  due  to  the  St.  Mihiel  drive,  which  advanced  the  line  several  kms. 


THE  NEGRO  COIMBAT  DIVISION  161 

on  the  west  bank  of  the  Moselle,  while  the  line  on  the  east  bank  remained  in 
place. 

The  attack  on  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  November,  by  one  battalion, 
365th  Infantry,  and  the  Machine  Gun  company  of  that  regiment,  and  one 
battalion  366th  Infantry  supported  by  Company  C,  350th  Machine  Gun  Bat- 
talion, wiped  out  this  re-entrant,  by  advancing  our  lines  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Moselle  River  a  distance  of  2i/2  km. 

The  advance  thus  made  was  held  against  heavy  artillery  and  machine- 
gun  fire  and  high  concentration  of  gas.  The  attack  was  renewed  on  the 
morning  of  the  11th,  the  lines  being  advanced  to  the  northern  edge  of  the 
Bois  Frehaut,  a  distance  of  31/2  km.  from  an  original  line.  Our  liaison  with 
the  troops  west  of  the  line  was  thereby  greatly  improved. 

The  line  held  by  our  troops  at  the  cessation  of  hostilities  was  as  follows: 
(Details  already  given). 

A  total  of  six  prisoners  were  captured,  three  in  the  Bois  Frehaut  and 
three  in  the  Bois  Voi\Totte. 

The  following  material  was  captured:  1,000  grenades,  5,000  rounds  of 
ammunition,  25  boxes  of  M-G  ammunition  in  belts,  50  rifles  and  belts,  10  pair 
of  field  glasses,  4  machine-guns,  6  carrier  pigeons,  1  signal  lamp  and  battery, 
2  Verey  pistols,  3  carbide  lamps,  100  helmets,  many  overcoats,  boots,  canteens, 
belts,  and  other  equipment  left  by  the  fleeing  Germans. 

The  following  were  our  casualties: 

Killed  Wounded  Gassed  Missing  Total 

365th  Infantry  14                 67  211                   8  300 

366th  Infantry 17                 52                 63                   0  132 

350th  M-G  Battalion 1                  0                11                  0  12 

Total  for  Brigade 32  119  285  8  444 

Full  use  was  made  of  auxiliary  arms  for  this  attack — Machine-guns,  37- 
mm.  guns,  Stokes  mortars,  and  rifle  grenades. 

No  tank  or  gas  troops  were  available  for  the  action. 

The  Divisional  Artillery  supported  both  attacks,  with  a  rolling  barrage 
preceding  the  troops  in  placing  heavy  concentration  fire  on  enemy  strong 
points  and  machine-gun  nests. 

The  attack  was  executed  over  a  very  difficult  terrain.  For  a  distance  of 
about  lYo  km.  in  front  of  our  lines  the  terrain  was  open,  heavily  wired,  with 
a  downward  slope.  It  was  well  registered  by  the  enemy  artillery  as  the 
numerous  shell-holes  over  its  surface  indicated.  The  Bois  Frehaut  is  a  wood 
of  about  1,500  meters  square  and  breaks  the  western  half  of  the  sector  at- 
tacked, about  700  meters  to  the  east  of  the  Bois  Frehaut,  and  about  on  a  line 


162  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

with  the  southern  edge  of  the  Bois  Voivrotte,  a  small  wood  of  about  600 
square  meters.  Both  of  these  woods  were  a  mass  of  heavy  German  wire,  much 
of  it  new.  Their  edges  were  protected  by  heavy  bands  of  wire  and  chevaux- 
de-frise.  Both  of  these  woods  were  at  the  foot  of  and  north  of  the  ridge  of 
which  Eon  hill,  a  hill  358  meters  high,  is  the  summit.  From  their  southern 
slopes,  the  ground  rises  slightly  for  a  distance  of  about  700  meters,  then  falls 
again  to  a  deep  ravine  traversing  the  Bois  Frehaut  from  east  to  west.  It 
then  rises  again,  culminating  in  La  Cote  hill,  a  hill  1,500  meters  north  of  Bois 
Frehaut  and  87  meters  higher  than  the  highest  point  of  the  Bois  Frehaut, 
namely  Hill  260.8,  Tliis  hill  is  heavily  wooded  on  its  summit  and  strongly 
held  by  infantrj^,  machine  guns,  trench  mortars  and  light  artillery.  The 
southern  slopes  of  this  hill  were  protected  by  a  small  wood  about  500  meters 
square,  about  200  meters  north  of  the  Bois  Frehaut  and  by  the  strongly 
fortified  towns  of  Bouxieres  and  Champey.  These  towns  together  with  the 
small  wood  in  question  were  heavily  garrisoned  by  infantry  and  machine 
guns.  They  formed  together  a  dominating  and  strongly  organized  position 
protected  by  heavy  bands  of  wire.  Numerous  tank  traps  had  been  prepared 
south  of  this  position.  These  positions  dominated  the  Bois  Voivrotte,  the 
Bois  Frehaut  and  the  ground  to  their  north.  In  the  area  west  of  the  Moselle, 
the  ground  in  front  of  the  position  slopes  to  the  north  into  a  basin  with 
little  or  no  cover.  On  the  west  Preny  heights  rise  precipitously  out  of  the 
plain  and  the  town  and  citadel  dominate  the  entire  basin  up  to  Preny  and 
beyond. 

This  basin  is  enfiladed  from  the  right  by  enemy  artillery  N.  E.  to  S.  E. 
over  an  arc  of  140  degrees  in  part  by  direct  fire.  Moulon  creek  crosses  the 
basin  from  west  to  east  about  1  km.  in  front  of  position. 

Creek  line  formerly  held  by  enemy  as  advanced  night  outpost,  taken  by 
us  and  held  for  same  purpose.  This  line  in  daylight  can  be  reached  by 
infiltration  or  by  patrols  but  owing  to  flanking  fire  from  Preny  has  been 
found  untenable  except  at  night,  any  small  body  of  troops  attracting  both 
machine-gun  and  artillery  fire  under  conditions  of  fair  visibility. 

At  the  time  of  our  attack  east  of  the  Moselle,  there  was  no  general  re- 
tirement immediately  on  our  front.  A  vigorous  resistance  was  interposed  by 
the  enemy.  The  attack  was  made  on  very  brief  preparation,  too  brief  in  view 
of  the  strength  of  the  enemy  positions,  which  were  very  strongly  held.  The 
wire  entanglements  about  Bouxieres  rendered  a  very  considerable  artillery 
preparation  necessary  to  make  a  further  advance  possible.  The  attack  was  to 
have  been  continued  with  this  preparation  had  not  the  armistice  occurred. 
A  decided  improvement  in  offensive  spirit  and  aggressive  action  was  shown 
by  all  troops  engaged. 

(Signed)    Charles  H.  Martin, 

Major  General  Commanding. 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  163 

After  the  Armistice  Was  Signed 

Immediately  following  the  signing  of  the  armistice,  the  92nd 
Division  was  named  among  those  divisions  scheduled  to  embark  for 
the  United  States  in  the  first  available  transportation.  The  various 
units  of  the  division  were  withdrawn  gradually  from  front  line  posi- 
tions to  back  areas  for  rest  and  renovation. 

At  this  time  the  rail  facilities  of  France  were  taxed  to  the  utmost 
in  transporting  supplies  into  the  area  to  be  occupied  by  the  allied 
armies  according  to  the  terms  of  the  armistice.  In  addition  to  the 
hundreds  of  troop  trains  going  forward  daily,  all  wagon  roads  lead- 
ing toward  the  region  of  the  upper  Rhine  were  crowded  with  troops 
forming  the  army  of  occupation.  After  waiting  five  weeks  at  Mar- 
bache,  transportation  was  finally  supplied  and  the  Division  moved 
down  to  Maronne  for  entrainment  on  the  19th  of  December,  1918. 
Leaving  Maronne  between  the  19th  and  22nd  of  December  the  ele- 
ments of  the  Division  arrived  at  Mayenne,  in  the  zone  of  the  embarka- 
tion center,  on  the  morning  of  the  24th  of  December.  Pending  orders 
to  move  forward  to  Brest,  the  units  of  the  Division  were  billeted  in 
the  following  towns  and  villages:  Mayenne,  Ambrieres,  Domfront, 
La  Chapelle,  Couterne,  Lassay,  Villaines,  Javron.  In  this  section, 
formerly  a  part  of  old  Brittany,  many  evidences  remain  of  the  ear- 
liest days  of  the  country's  settlement.  One  of  the  principal  roads 
leading  through  the  section  w^as  laid  out  by  Julius  Caesar,  more  than 
fifty  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ ;  at  Domfront  the  old  fort  built 
by  the  Roman  legions  remains  in  a  remarkable  state  of  presei^^ation. 
The  language  of  the  ancient  Bretons  is  often  spoken  by  the  people 
at  this  time. 

Five  weeks  were  spent  in  this  area  completing  preliminaries 
incident  to  embarkation  and  waiting  for  transportation  to  the  sea- 
board. The  last  units  left  Mayenne  on  the  29th  of  January,  passing 
through  the  forwarding  camp  at  Le  Mans  and  arriving  at  Brest  the 
first  week  in  Febniary.  The  first  transports  left  Brest  bearing  our 
troops  homeward  on  the  5th  of  February  and  were  followed  by  others 
throughout  the  month  and  until  the  12th  of  March,  when  the  last 
unit  of  the  92nd  Division  landed  at  Hoboken,  completing  nine  months 
of  foreign  service. 


164  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Casualties  of  the  Division 

The  total  number  of  casualties  in  the  92nd  Division  was  as 
follows : 

Officers    Enlisted  Men 

Killed  in  action 6  208 

Died  of  wounds 1  40 

Died  of  Disease 1  43 

Died  of  other  causes 0  9 

Severely  wounded 6  203 

Slightly  wounded 46  348 

Gassed  43  672 

Missing 0  20 


103  1,543 

Total— 1,646 

Personal  Conduct  of  Troops 

The  statistics  of  the  Judge  Advocate's  Department  show  that 
the  individual  conduct  of  the  soldiers  of  the  92nd  Division  was  highly 
creditable.  Both  in  number  of  offenses  committed  against  military 
law  and  the  nature  of  the  offenses,  the  record  of  the  92nd.  Division 
compares  most  favorably  with  that  of  any  other  Division  in  the 
American  Expeditionary  Forces.  The  only  case  of  a  conviction  with 
death  penalty  assessed  applied  to  a  soldier  who  was  not  a  member  of 
the  92nd  Division,  but  whose  trial  was  held  in  the  Division's  courts 
for  convenience. 

During  the  month  of  October,  twelve  hundred  enlisted  men  were 
granted  furloughs  with  privilege  of  visiting  Aix-les-Bains,  the  leave 
center  for  soldiers  of  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces.  The 
report  of  the  Commanding  Officer  of  Aix-les-Bains  leave  area  is 
referred  to  in  the  copy  of  General  Order  31  given  below : 

HEADQUARTERS  92nD  DIVISION 
AMERICAN   EXPEDITIONARY   FORCES 

A.  P.  0.  766 

.7' November,  1918. 

General  Orders  No.  31. 

1,  The  Division  Commander  desires  to  make  known  to  the  members  of 
this  command  the  fact  of  his  appreciation  of  the  exemplary  conduct  of  the 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  165 

men  composing  the  first  and  second  leave  quotas  at  Aix-les-Bains  during 
October,  1918. 

The  Commanding  Officer  of  Aix-les-Bains  reports  that  the  neatness,  gen- 
eral appearance,  and  military  courtesy  of  the  men  of  the  92nd  Division  while 
on  leave,  was  highly  commendable. 

By  Command  of  Major  General  Ballou. 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Geeer, 

Colonel,  General  Staff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 
Official  : 

Edw.  J.   TURGEON, 

JMajor,  Infantry. 
Adjutant. 

The  Artillery  Brigade 

From  the  outset  of  the  92nd  's  organization,  it  was  a  problem  to 
get  together  and  build  up  an  artillery  brigade  that  would  in  all 
essentials  be  thoroughly  efficient  and  dependable.  In  such  warfare 
as  the  European  war  entailed,  the  artillery  arm  was  of  the  greatest 
importance.  It  was  doubted  whether  or  not  an  artillery  brigade 
made  up  of  Negro  soldiers  could  be  developed  and  sufficiently  trained 
in  the  technique  of  artillery  to  make  an  effective  fighting  artillery 
unit.  Men  were  needed  for  this  branch  of  the  service  who  were 
educated  and  who  could  be  depended  upon  to  know  fractions  and 
be  able  to  read  scales,  deflections,  and  other  technical  details.  In 
the  ordinary  run  of  the  enlistment,  the  draft  did  not  furnish  enough 
men  qualified  along  these  lines  to  build  up  the  artillery  regiments, 
and  it  therefore  became  necessary  for  the  officers  of  the  artillery 
brigade  to  make  special  canvasses  to  secure  a  sufficient  number  of 
qualified  men.  In  this  work,  voluntary  enlistments  were  called  for. 
In  the  course  of  time  enough  men  were  enlisted  to  make  up  the 
Artillery  Brigade.  Tuskegee  Institute  furnished  a  group  of  students. 
Baltimore,  Pittsburg  and  other  cities  furnished  men  from  the  high 
schools  and  other  institutions.  Through  this  special  canvass  the 
great  bulk  of  the  artillery  troops  was  secured. 

In  recruiting  these  men,  specially  qualified  for  the  artillery  regi- 
ments, through  the  process  of  voluntary  enlistments,  much  credit  is 
due  the  following  officers  of  the  Brigade:  General  John  H.  Sher- 
burne, Colonels  Fred  T.  Austin,  William  E.  Cole,  Dan  T.  Moore; 
Lieutenant-Colonels    Walter    E.    Prosser,    Edward    L.    Carpenter, 


166  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Charles  L.  Blakely;  Captains  Royal  F.  Nash,  William  Heffner,  and 
Lieut.  Harry  K.  Tootle.  The  last  named  officer  made  personal  can- 
vasses in  the  churches  and  schools  of  Pittsburg  and  other  cities. 

As  a  result  of  this  plan  of  building  up  the  Artillery  Brigade,  the 
three  regiments  were  made  up  of  picked  men,  forming  the  first  artil- 
lery brigade  of  Negroes  ever  organized  in  the  world.  During  the 
training  period  and  afterward  on  the  battlefield,  General  Sherburne 
frequently  expressed  the  opinion  that  his  artillerymen  were  the 
equals  of  any  artillerymen  in  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces. 
Even  during  the  short  time  in  which  the  artillery  was  engaged,  the 
high  degree  of  efficiency  was  evidenced  by  the  accuracy  and  effective- 
ness of  their  barrages  and  bombardments  as  laid  down  by  these 
Negro  gunners. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  last  General  Order  issued  to  the 
Brigade  by  General  Sherburne  just  before  his  transfer  from  the 
Division  to  take  up  other  duties : 

HEADQUARTERS   167tH  FIELD   ARTILLERY  BRIGADE 

92nd  division,  a.  e.  f. 

3  February,  1919. 
General  Orders  No.  1. 

1.  In  leaving  the  167th  Field  Artillery  Brigade,  to  take  up  other  duties, 
the  Brigade  Commander  wishes  to  record  in  General  Orders  the  entire  satis- 
faction it  has  given  him  to  have  commanded  the  Brigade,  the  first  Brigade 
of  Negro  artillerymen  ever  organized.  The  satisfaction  is  due  to  the  excellent 
record  the  men  have  made.  Undertaking  a  work  that  was  new  to  them,  they 
brought  to  it  faithfulness,  zeal,  and  patriotic  fers^or.  They  went  into  the  line 
and  conducted  themselves  in  a  manner  to  win  the  praise  of  all.  They  had 
been  picked  for  important  work  in  an  offensive  which  had  been  planned  to 
start  after  November  11. 

2.  The  Brigade  Commander  will  ever  cherish  the  words  of  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief, the  compliments  he  paid  in  all  sincerity  to  this  Brigade, 
while  he  watched  it  pass  in  review  last  Wednesday.  He  wishes  the  Brigade  to 
understand  that  these  words  of  appreciation  Avere  invoked  because  each  man 
has  worked  conscientiously  and  unflaggingly  to  make  the  organization  a 
success. 

3.  The  Brigade  Commander  feels  that  he  should  also  make  an  acknowl- 
edgment in  General  Orders  of  the  remarkable  esprit-de-corps  displayed  by  the 
officers  of  the  brigade.  They  were  pioneers  in  a  field  where,  at  the  start, 
success  was  problematical.  This  being  the  first  brigade  of  its  kind  ever 
organized,  it  has  been  only  natural  that  the  work  of  the  men  should  have 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  167 

featured  prominently,  yet  the  same  prominence  and  the  same  praise  should 
be  accorded  the  officers.  While  the  Brigade  Commander  takes  this  occasion 
to  praise  splendid  work,  he  believes  the  greatest  praise  will  come  from  the 
men  themselves,  not  only  now,  but  ever  in  greater  measure  when  they  have 
returned  to  civilian  life  and  have  secured  the  perspective  of  time  and  ex- 
perience that  will  teach  them  how  fortunate  they  were  in  making  the  race's 
initial  effort  as  artillerymen  under  officers  who  were  both  skillful  artillerj'- 
men  and  sympathetic  leaders. 

By  Command  of  Brigadier  General  Sherburne. 

(Signed)     Harry  King  Tootle, 

First  Lt.  F.  A.,  U.  S.  A. 
Acting  Adjutant. 

Praised  by  General  Pershing 

The  passage  in  the  foregoing  General  Order  from  General  Sher- 
burne, in  which  allusion  is  made  to  the  compliments  from  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief, refers  to  the  address  delivered  to  the  assembled 
units  of  the  92nd  Division  at  Le  Mans  on  the  28th  of  January,  1919. 
On  this  occasion  General  Pershing  reviewed  the  troops  of  the  Divi- 
sion for  the  last  time  before  its  embarkation  for  the  United  States. 
In  the  course  of  his  address  to  the  officers  and  sokliers  of  the  Divi- 
sion, the  Commander-in-Chief,  General  Pershing,  said: 

**I  want  you  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  92nd  Division  to  know 
that  the  92nd  Division  stands  second  to  none  in  the  record  you  have 
made  since  your  arrival  in  France.  I  am  proud  of  the  part  you  have 
played  in  the  great  conflict  which  ended  on  the  11th  of  November,  yet 
you  have  only  done  what  the  American  people  expected  you  to  do 
and  you  have  measured  up  to  every  expectation  of  the  Commander- 
in-Chief.  I  realize  that  you  did  not  get  into  the  game  as  early  as 
some  of  the  otlier  units,  but  since  you  took  over  your  first  sector  you 
have  acquitted  yourselves  with  credit,  and  I  believe  that  if  the 
armistice  had  not  become  effective  on  the  11th  day  of  November, 
the  92nd  would  have  still  further  distinguished  itself.  I  commend 
the  92nd  Division  for  its  achievements  not  only  in  the  field,  but  on 
the  record  its  men  have  made  in  their  individual  conduct.  The 
American  public  has  every  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  record  made  by 
the  92nd  Division." 

The  following  memorandum,  issued  on  the  date  on  which  Major 
General  Ballon  left  the  Division  as  Commander  to  take  up  other 


168  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  mSTORY 

duties  to  wliicli  he  had  been  transferred,  marks  the  last  official  order 
from  the  officer  to  whom,  more  than  to  any  other  individual,  is  due 
the  credit  for  organizing  and  training  the  first  Division  of  American 
Negro  soldiers  ever  placed  in  the  field : 

HEADQUARTERS   92nD   DIVISION 

American  Expeditionary  Forces 
A.  P.  0.  766 

18  November,  1918. 
Memorandum: 

Five  months  ago  today  the  92nd  Division  landed  in  France. 
After  seven  weeks  of  training,  it  took  over  a  sector  in  the  front  line,  and 
since  that  time  some  portion  of  the  Division  has  been  practically  continnously 
under  fire. 

It  participated  in  the  last  battle  of  the  war  with  creditable  success, 
continuously  pressing  the  attack  agamst  highly  organized  defensive  works. 
It  advanced  successfully  on  the  first  day  of  the  battle,  attaining  its  objectives 
and  capturing  prisoners.  This  in  the  face  of  determined  opposition  by  an 
alert  enemy,  and  against  rifle,  machine-gun  and  artillery  fire.  The  issue  of 
the  second  day's  battle  was  rendered  indecisive  by  the  order  to  cease  firing 
at  eleven  A.  M. — when  the  armistice  became  effective. 

The  Division  Commander,  in  taking  leave  of  what  he  considers  himself 
justly  entitled  to  regard  as  Jiis  Division,  feels  that  he  has  accomplished  his 
mission.  His  work  is  done  and  will  endure.  The  results  have  not  always 
been  brilliant,  and  many  times  were  discouraging,  yet  a  weU  organized,  well 
disciplined  and  well  trained  colored  Division  has  been  created  and  commanded 
by  him  to  include  the  last  shot  of  the  war. 

May  the  future  conduct  of  every  officer  and  man  be  such  as  to  reflect 
credit  upon  the  Division  and  upon  the  Colored  race. 

By  Conunand  of  Major  General  Ballon : 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Greer, 

Colonel,  General  Staff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 
Official  : 

EdW.  J.   TURGEON, 

Major,  Infantry, 
Adjutant. 

Changes  in  Official  Personnel 

Through  the  process  of  transfers  and  promotions,  many  changes 
occurred  in  the  official  personnel  of  the  numerous  elements  of  the 
92nd  Division.    The  same  was  true  on  a  larger  scale  of  the  entire 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  169 

American  Expeditionary  Forces.  In  keeping  with  military  methods 
of  promotions,  transfers,  etc.,  every  promotion,  transfer,  or  discharge 
resulted  in  a  chain  of  promotions  or  transfers  or  vacancies  in  all 
units  affected.  Through  this  method,  every  unit  of  the  A.  E.  F. 
experienced  a  continual  changing  and  shifting  of  its  official  personnel. 
This  was  true  of  Field  officers  as  well  as  Staff  officers.  Among  the 
names  of  officers  who  made  up  the  Staff  of  the  92nd  Division  when  it 
sailed  for  France  in  1918,  not  one  was  on  the  roster  when  the 
Division  returned. 

The  following  synopsis,  with  military  record,  of  the  Division 
Commanders  gives  an  idea  of  the  changes  in  the  General  Staff: 

Commanding  General: — 

1.  Major  General  Charles  C.  Ballou  :  Born  in  Orange,  Schuy- 
ler County,  New  York,  June  13,  1862.  Entered  West  Point  June  6, 
1882,  by  appointment  from  Fourth  District,  Illinois.  Graduated  June 
12, 1886.  Commissioned  2d  Lt.,  16th  Infantry,  July  1, 1886,  and  served 
in  that  regiment  in  Texas,  Utah,  and  Sioux  campaign  of  1890-91  in 
South  Dakota.  Promoted  1st  Lt.,  12th  Infantry,  April  23,  1893. 
Served  in  Florida,  Alabama,  Oklahoma,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  Georgia, 
Illinois,  Virginia,  Pennsylvania  and  Missouri.  Mustered  in  8th  and 
9th  Illinois  Volunteers  at  Camp  Tanner,  1898.  Promoted  Captain, 
12th  Infantry,  March  2,  1902.  Served  in  that  regiment  as  captain  in 
the  Philippine  Insurrection,  during  which  time  he  participated  in 
several  battles  and  small  actions.  Name  sent  to  Senate  by  President 
Roosevelt  for  confirmation  for  brevet  of  Major  for  ''distinguished 
gallantry  in  action  near  Anzeles,  Luzon,  P.  I.,"  August  16,  1899. 
Quartermaster  12th  Infantry.  Transferred  to  15th  Infantiy  Feb- 
ruary, 1904.  Quartermaster  15th  Infantry.  Commissary  15th  Infan- 
try. Transferred  to  12th  Infantry,  February,  1906.  Detailed  in 
Quartermaster  Department  October,  1908.  Promoted  Major  7th  In- 
fantry, June  26,  1909.  Duty  in  Quartermaster  General's  office 
1909-10.  Transferred  to  24th  Infantry  in  1912.  Lt.  Colonel  24th 
Infantry  February  7,  1915.  Commanded  24th  Infantry  during  por- 
tion of  campaign  in  Mexico.  Colonel  of  Infantiy  July  19, 1916.  Con- 
ducted Training  Camp  for  Colored  Officers,  Ft.  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
1917,  Brigadier  General,  August,  1917.  Commanded  Depot  Brigade, 
Camp  Dodge,  Iowa,  September  and  October,  1917.  Major  General, 
.November  28,  1917.    Organized,  trained  and  commanded  92nd  Divi- 


170  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

sion,  October  26, 1917,  to  November  19, 1918.  Attended  Infantry  and 
Cavalry  School  at  Ft.  Leavenworth  Field  Officers'  School,  and  War 
College.  Five  times  in  Philippine  IslandwS.  Sailed  for  France  June 
10,  1918.    On  front  line  August  24  to  November  19,  1918. 

2.  Major  General  Charles  H.  Martix  :  Commanded  86th  Divi- 
sion prior  to  transfer  to  92nd  Division.  Organized  86th  Division  at 
Camp  Grant,  111.  Camp  Commander  Camp  Grant,  111.,  1917-18. 
Commanded  92nd  Division  from  November  19,  1918,  to  December 
15,  1918. 

3.  Brigadier  General  James  B.  Erwin:  Cadet  U.  S.  Military 
Academy  June  12, 1875.  Second  Lieutenant,  Cavalry,  June  12,  1880. 
First  Lieutenant,  4th  Cavalry,  March  18, 1886.  Captain,  4th  Cavalry, 
March  18,  1896.  Major,  9th  Cavalry,  Apnl,  1903.  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  Inspector  General's  Department,  May,  1911,  Colonel, 
January,  1914.  Brigadier  General,  August,  1917.  With  82nd  Divi- 
sion to  December  27,  1917.  Organized  and  served  with  6th  Division 
to  December  14,  1918.  Commanding  92nd  Division  since  December 
15,  1918.  Honor  Graduate  Infantry  and  Cavalry  schools,  class  1883. 
Inspector  General  1906-10  and  1911-15.  Adjutant  General  Septem- 
ber, 1914- August,  1915.  Served  in  Indian  w^ars,  Philippine  Insurrec- 
tion, Punitive  Expedition  in  Mexico,  and  European  War,  1914-18. 

Aides-de-Camp : — 

Staff  of  General  Ballon — Captain  Chauncey  Dewey. 

Staff  of  General  Martin— Captain  J.  E.  Eddy,  Captain  E.  H. 
Spencer,  Captain  Gordon  McCormick. 

Staff  of  General  Erwin — Lieutenant  Charles  H.  Cox,  Lieutenant 
Henry  B.  Tompkins. 

Chiefs  of  Staff:— 

1.  Colonel  Allen  J.  Greer  :  Appointed  Second  Lieutenant,  4th 
Tennessee  Volunteers,  July  5, 1898.  Second  Lieutenant  4th  Infantry, 
October  5,  1899.  Appointed  First  Lieutenant,  July  1,  1901.  Trans- 
ferred to  26th  Infantry,  September  29,  1904.  Twenty  years  con- 
tinuous service  in  grades  of  second  and  first  lieutenants,  captain  and 
major  in  regular  army.  Appointed  Lieutenant  Colonel  and  assigned 
to  duty  as  Chief  of  Staff,  92nd  Division,  November  2, 1917.  Promoted 
to  rank  of  Colonel,  August,  1918.  Continuous  service  as  Chief  of 
Staff  with  92nd  Division  until  December  4,  1918. 

2.  Colonel  George  K.  Wilson:     Regular  Army,  May  1,  1898. 


THE  NEGRO  COMBAT  DIVISION  171 

Second  Lieutenant,  Infantry,  June,  1900.  First  Lieutenant,  May, 
1904.  Captain,  April,  1915.  Major,  August,  1917.  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  June,  1918.  Colonel,  October,  1918.  Transferred  to  92nd 
Division  as  Chief  of  Staff,  December  4,  1918. 

Assistant  Chiefs  of  Staff: — 

Lieutenant  Colonel  James  P.  Barney,  Major  Frederick  P. 
Sclioonmaker,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Van  L.  Willis,  Major  Charles  S. 
Buck,  Major  Donald  J.  McLachlan,  Lieutenant  Colonel  John  D. 
Sayles,  Major  Harding  Polk,  Major  H.  L.  Taylor,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
James  L.  Cochran. 

Division  Adjutants : — 

Major  Sherburne  Whipple,  Captain  Edward  J.  Turgeon  (Act- 
ing), Major  Alfred  E.  Sawkins,  Major  Ralph  H.  Leavitt,  Major 
Edward  J.  Turgeon. 

Division  Inspectors: — 

Major  Robert  P.  Harbold,  Major  Clifford  D.  Davidson,  Major 
Clifford  B.  King,  Major  Clifford  D.  Davidson. 

Division  Quartermasters : — 

Colonel  Edward  L.  Glasgow,  Major  Odiorne  H.  Sampson,  Major 
Joseph  T.  Byrne. 

Division  Surgeon: — 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Perry  L,  Boyer,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Jonas  T. 
White. 

Division  Ordnance  Officer: — 

Major  Philip  S.  Gage,  Captain  Warner  F.  Russell. 

Division  Judge  Advocate: — 

Major  Alfred  M.  Craven,  Major  Adam  E.  Patterson. 

Visitors  to  the  Division 

During  the  sojourn  of  the  92nd  Division  in  France,  several  dis- 
tinguished visitors,  all  of  whom  were  interested  in  war  work  of  one 
phase  or  another,  called  at  headquarters,  or  visited  camps  where  our 
troops  were  quartered. 

In  July,  Miss  Elsie  Janis,  famous  actress  and  movie  star,  in 
company  with  her  mother,  visited  the  Division  at  Bourbonne-les- 
Bains.    The  coming  of  Miss  Janis  had  not  been  generally  announced. 


172  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

It  was  therefore  only  a  small  group  of  soldiers  whom  she  entertained 
in  an  impromptu  program  in  the  city  park  on  the  afternoon  of  her 
visit. 

Mr.  Ralph  W.  Tyler,  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  editor  and  writer,  and 
formerly  Auditor  of  the  Navy  under  President  Roosevelt,  visited  the 
Division  during  the  month  of  October  and  remained  throughout  sev- 
eral weeks  in  the  Marbache  sector.  Mr.  Tyler  visited  a  number  of 
organizations  of  Negro  troops  not  included  in  the  92nd  Division. 
During  his  tour  he  represented  the  Committee  on  Public  Information. 

Dr.  R.  R.  Moton,  principal  of  Tuskegee  Institute,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Thomas  Jesse  Jones,  national  educator,  Mr.  Nathan  Hunt 
of  Tuskegee  Institute,  and  Mr.  Lester  A.  Walton,  of  the  New  York 
Age,  visited  the  Division  in  December  at  Marbache.  Dr.  Moton 
came  as  the  representative  of  the  administration  at  Washington  and 
directly  from  the  War  Department  to  bring  official  greetings  to 
Negro  troops  in  France.  Dr.  Moton  discharged  this  mission  in  a 
manner  creditable  to  himself  and  to  the  race. 

Dr.  John  Hope,  President  of  Moorehouse  College,  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  energetic  Y.  M.  C.  A.  worker,  visited  the  Di\nsion  from  time 
to  time  in  connection  with  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work. 

Dr.  W.  E.  B.  DuBois,  editor  and  writer,  visited  the  Division 
during  the  months  of  December  and  January. 


CHAPTER  XII 

CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION 

Officers  and  Men  of  the  Famous  Negro  Division  Whose  Heroic 
Conduct  Gained  for  Them  the  Distinguished  Service  Cross- — 
Details  of  Their  Deeds  of  Heroism  in  Action — Special  Mention 
of  Officers  and  Men  by  Various  Commanding  Officers. 

The  gallant  Ninety-second  Division,  composed  entirely  of  colored 
American  troops,  received  a  great  number  of  citations  and  awards 
for  meritorious  and  distinguished  conduct  on  the  battlefields  of 
France,  and  besides  those  who  earned  the  coveted  medals  there  were 
many  more  members  of  the  Division  who  were  specially  mentioned 
in  communications  from  Headquarters  and  by  the  commanding 
ofiicers  of  the  various  units,  as  appears  hereafter.  The  lists  given 
below,  however,  are  necessarily  incomplete,  as  many  recommenda- 
tions for  awards  were  still  under  consideration  when  this  volume 
went  to  press. 

The  following  is  reproduced  from  a  January  (1919)  issue  of  the 
Army  and  Navy  Journal : 

** COLORED  TROOPS  OF  THE  A.  E.  F.  VARIOUSLY  HONORED.** 

**  Colored  troops  forming  the  92nd  Division  of  the  A.  E.  F.  have 
recently  been  awarded  many  honors.  The  entire  1st  battalion  of  the 
367th  Infantry  have  been  cited  for  bravery  and  awarded  the  Croix 
de  Guerre  by  the  French  military  authorities. 

* '  The  citation  was  made  because  of  the  bravery  and  fine  service 
of  the  battalioi}  in  the  last  engagement  of  the  war,  the  drive  toward 
Metz  on  November  10  and  11. 

"Major-General  Martin,  U.  S.  A.,  commanding  the  92nd  Divi- 
sion, has  cited  a  number  of  colored  officers,  noncommissioned  officers 
and  privates  of  the  365th  Infantry  for  meritorious  conduct  in  action 
at  Bois  Frehaut  on  November  10  and  11.  The  officers  cited  are 
Captain  John  L.  Allen,  Lieuts.  Leon  F.  Stewart,  Frank  L.  Drye, 

173 


174  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTOKY 

AValter  Lyons,  David  W.  Harris,  Benjamin  F.  Ford,  George  L.  Gains, 
and  Eussell  C.  Atkins,  all  U.  S.  A.  In  another  order,  Lieut.  Nathan 
O.  Goodloe,  of  the  machine-gun  company  of  the  368th  Infantry,  was 
commended  for  meritorious  conduct  in  the  Argonne  Forest.  In  the 
entire  Division,  fourteen  colored  officers  and  forty-three  enlisted 
men  have  been  cited  for  bravery  in  action  and  awarded  the  Distin- 
guished Service  Cross.  The  total  casualties  suffered  by  the  Division 
since  its  arrival  in  France  number  1,748.  Of  officers,  six  were  killed 
in  action  and  one  died  of  wounds ;  46  officers  were  wounded  and  39 
gassed.  Of  enlisted  men,  31  died  of  wounds,  203  were  killed  in  action, 
543  were  wounded,  661  were  gassed,  40  died  of  disease,  and  28  w^ere 
reported  missing." 

The  following  letter  of  commendation  is  self-explanatory: 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BATTALION,  367tH  INFANTRY 

FROM:  Commanding  Officer,  1st  Battalion,  367th  Infantry'. 

TO:  Commanding  Officer,  367th  Infantry. 

SUBJECT:     Conduct  of  Company  A. 

1.  I  wish  to  call  attention  of  the  regimental  commander  to  the  merito- 
rious conduct  of  Company  A  on  the  night  of  November  2  and  3. 

2.  Under  intense  shell  fire  of  gas  and  H.  S.  lasting  two  hours,  the  com- 
pany maintained  its  advanced  positions,  staying  there  without  any  shelter 
and  finally  repelling  the  enemy  raid  and  capturing  one  prisoner. 

3.  The  conduct  of  Captain  Peter  McCall,  his  officers  and  men  was  such 
as  deserves  the  highest  commendation,  and  in  my  opinion  merits  mention. 

(Signed)     Charles  L.  Appleton, 

Major,  367th  Infantry. 

Extended  space  would  be  required  to  detail  the  meritorious  work 
of  the  individual  units  of  the  Division  throughout  the  several  opera- 
tions in  which  it  participated.  In  the  Argonne-Meuse  offensive,  after 
overcoming  its  first  extreme  difficulties,  the  368th  Infantry  performed 
gallant  service.  Among  the  officers  whose  conduct  was  mentioned 
for  gallantry  in  the  Argonne  were  Captain  T.  M.  Dent,  promoted 
after  commendation  for  special  bravery  and  heroism ;  Captain  R.  A. 
Williams,  who  also  won  commendation  of  his  regimental  commander 
for  skillful  handling  of  his  troops  in  the  crucial  advance  through  the 
Argonne;  Lieut.  Charles  G.  Young  and  Captain  Thomas  E.  Jones, 
of  the  368th,  who  each  won  the  D.  S.  C.  for  extraordinary  heroic 
service  and  gallant  conduct  in  the  Argonne  Forest. 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  175 

Of  the  367tli  Regiment,  the  unit  organized  and  trained  by  Colonel 
James  A.  Moss,  much  could  be  said  of  its  excellent  record,  both  in 
the  St.  Die  sector  and  in  the  Argonne  and  on  the  Moselle  in  front  of 
Metz.  In  this  last-named  position  it  rendered  its  most  distinguished 
service  during  the  closing  days  of  the  war.  On  the  10th  of  November, 
an  attack  was  made  on  Pagny,  a  stronghold  of  the  German  line 
opposite  the  Metz  forts.  In  the  general  advance,  two  battalions  of 
the  56th  Infantry,  a  white  unit  on  the  left  of  the  367th,  after  advanc- 
ing a  half  mile  abreast  of  the  367th,  became  hopelessly  entangled  in 
the  enemy's  wire  entanglements  and  were  being  slaughtered  by 
German  machine-gun  batteries.  Our  own  advance  was  stopped,  and 
a  part  of  the  367th  was  sent  to  the  rescue  of  the  56th  in  order  to 
cover  their  withdrawal  from  the  perilous  position.  The  367th  dis- 
patched two  machine-gun  companies,  one  of  their  own  and  the  other 
from  the  350th  machine-gun  battalion.  A  counter  fire  was  turned  on 
the  German  positions,  which  silenced  their  batteries,  while  the  56th 
retired  leaving  a  third  of  tlieir  men  dead  or  wounded.  In  the  mean- 
time the  367th  held  the  position  until  relieved  by  reinforcements  from 
the  56th  and  then  resumed  their  advance  toward  Pagny.  Doubtless 
the  entire  forces  of  the  56th  would  have  been  wiped  out  but  for  the 
timely  rescue  of  the  367th.  For  this  action  the  entire  battalion  was 
cited  by  the  French  commanding  officer  under  whom  the  56th  was 
brigaded. 

Awarded  the  Distinguished  Service  Cross 
The   Distinguished   Service   Cross   of  the   United   States   was 
awarded  to  the  following  officers  and  men  of  the  92nd  Division,  for 
the  heroic  deeds  and  exploits  stated  after  their  respective  names : 
HoRTON,  Van,  Corporal,  Company  E,  366th  Inf.  (A.  S.  No.  2168859). 
Medal  Number  431.    For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near 
Lesseau,  France,  4  September  1918. 

During  a  hostile  attack,  preceded  by  a  heavy  minenwerfer 
barrage,  involving  the  entire  front  of  the  battalion,  the  combat 
group  to  which  this  courageous  soldier  belonged  was  attacked 
by  about  twenty  of  the  enemy,  using  liquid  fire.  The  sergeant 
in  charge  of  the  group  and  four  other  men  having  been  killed, 
Corporal  Horton  fearlessly  rushed  to  receive  the  attack  and  the 
persistency  with  which  he  fought  resulted  in  stopping  the  attack 
and  driving  back  the  enemy. 


176  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Home  address:  Mrs.  Minnie  Horton,  mother,  Eoute  5, 
Box  93,  Athens,  Ala. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  Dec.  2,  1918,  near 
Pont-a-Mousson. 
Fisher,  Aaron  R.,  2nd  Lieut,  366th  Infantry,  Medal  No.  432.    For 
extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Lesseau,  France,  3  Sep- 
tember 1918. 

Lieut.  Fisher  showed  exceptional  bravery  in  action  when  his 
position  was  raided  by  a  superior  force  of  the  enemy  by  directing 
his  men  and  refusing  to  leave  his  position  although  he  was 
severely  wounded.  He  and  his  men  continued  to  fight  the  enemy 
until  the  latter  were  beaten  off  by  counter  attack. 

Home  address :  Benjamin  Fisher,  father,  General  Delivery, 
Lyles,  Indiana. 

Lieut.  Fisher  was  evacuated  to  Base  Hospital  No.  45,  Sept. 
18,  1918,  consequently  his  medal  was  not  presented  to  him  while 
in  the  Division. 
Williams,  Joe,  Pvt.,  Company  E,  366th  Inf.  (A.  S.  2169035).  Medal 
No.  433.  For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Lesseau, 
France,  4  September  1918. 

Private  Williams  was  a  member  of  a  combat  group  which 
was  attacked  by  twenty  of  an  enemy  raiding  party,  advancing 
under  heavy  barrage  and  using  liquid  fire.  The  sergeant  in 
charge  of  tlie  group  was  killed  and  several  others,  including 
Private  Williams,  were  wounded.  Nevertheless,  this  soldier 
with  three  others  fearlessly  resisted  the  enemy  until  they  were 
driven  off. 

Home  address:    Mrs.  Carrie  Gordon,  friend,  Octon,  Ala. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  Dec.  2,  1918,  near 
Pont-a-Mousson. 
Brown,  Roy  A.,  Pvt.,  Co.  E,  366th  Inf.  (A.  S.  2168841).    Medal  No. 
434.    For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Lesseau,  France, 
4  September  1918. 

Private  Brown  was  a  member  of  a  combat  group  which  was 
attacked  by  twenty  of  an  enemy  raiding  party,  advancing  under 
a  heavy  barrage  and  using  liquid  fire.  The  sergeant  in  charge 
of  the  group  was  killed  and  several  others,  including  Private 
Brown,  were  wounded.     Nevertheless,  this  soldier  with  three 


SECRETARY   BAKER'S  WAR   CABINET. 
Top   Left   to   Right — Hon.    Benedict   Ciowell,    Assistant   Secretary   of   War:    Hon     E.    R.    Stet- 

tinuis.    Second    Assistant    Secretaiy    of    War:    Dr.    Ernest    Martin    Hopkins,    President 

Dartmoutli    College,    Special    Assistant. 
Center — Hon.    Newton   D.   Baker,    Secretary   of   War. 
Below— pr.    F.    B.    Keppel,    Third   Assistant   Secretary   of   War:    General    P.    C.    March,   Chief 

of  Staff  U.   S.   Army,   and   Dr.    Emmett   J.    Scott,    Special   Assistant    to   the   Secretary   of 

War,  representing-  the  interests  of  the  Negro  Race  of  the  United  States, 


p      '^ 


7op,  Left — Capt.  Moody  Stattn,  317th  Militaiy  I'olice.  Center — 2nd  Lt.  Charles  Udell 
Turpin.    365th    Infantry.      Beloic — Ist    l.t.    E.    C.    Morris,    366th    Infantry. 

Center  Panel — Major  James  E.   Walker,    1st   Separate   Battalion,    E>istrict   of  Columbia   N.   G. 

Top,  Right — Capt.  Thos.  E.  Jones,  368th  Infantry,  92nd  Div.,  Awarded  Distinguished  Service 
Cross  for  bravery  at  Argonne  Forest. 

Right  Centei- — Capt.  Samuel  Reid,  317  A.  T.,  Veteran  of  Spanish  War  and  Philippine  In- 
surrection; served  over  thirty  years  in  United  States  Army,  retired  since  close  of  the 
war. 

Below — Sergt.  Rufus  Pinckney,  Baltimore,  Md.,  1st  Separate  Company,  372nd  Inf.,  wears 
highest  honors  from  French  Government;  captured  15  Germans,  saved  French 
Officer's  life,  fought  in  Champagne,  Argonne  and  at  Verdun. 


GROUP   OF   LEADING    WOMEN   WAR   WoRKIO  I  :S, 
Center- — Miss  Eva  D.   Bowles,  Secretary  of  Colored  Women's   War  Work   in  cities,  National 

Boaid    of   the   Young-   Women's   Christian    Association. 
Above,    Left — Miss    May    B.    Belcher,    Field    Worker    among-    colored    women    of    War    Work 

Council:  a  graduate  of  Sargent  School,  studied  at  Moody  Institute  and  later  Secretary 

of   Phyllis   Wheatley   Branch,   Y.   W.   C.   A.   in   St.   Louis. 
Right — Alice    Dunbar    Nelson    (formerly    Mrs.    Pearl    Laurence    Dunbar),    recognized    leader 

in   mobilization   of  colored   women  of  the  United  States  for  War  Work  under  auspices 

Council   of  National   Defense. 
Beloiv.  Left — Miss  Mary   E.  Jackson,   Special   Industrial  Worker  among  colored  women   for 

War    Work    Council. 
Right — Mrs.   Louise   J.    Ross,   Chairman   New   Orleans  Chapter  American   Red   Cross,    recog- 
nized leader  of  the  race  in  the  South. 


^Ibove— American  Negro   Soldiers   in   hospital.   Glasp-ow,    Scotland     receiving-   cigarettes   and 
chocolates    from    Red    Cross    Chaplain    Thos.    K.    Swan    and    a    visit    from    Mrs     Jas 
Gardiner,    one    of   the    Red    Cross    Workers. 
b^ore'^thT^bil^dHve'^''"*'''*^''^   Company   372nd    Infantry    "somewhere    in    France"   just 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  177 

athers  fearlessly  resisted  the  enemy  until  they  were  driven  off. 

Home  address  i  Mrs.  Ellen  Brown,  mother,  620  Madison  St., 
Deeatur,  Ala. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  Dec.  2,  1918,  near 
Pont-^-Mousson. 
Mbrbifield,  Ed.,  Private,  Co.  E,  366th  Inf.   (A.  S.  No.  2817823). 
Medal   No.   435.     For  extraordinary  heroism   in  action   near 
Lesseau,  France,  4  September  1918. 

Although  he  was  severely  wounded.  Private  Merrifield  re- 
mained at  his  post  and  continued  to  fight  a  superior  enemy  force 
which  had  attempted  to  enter  our  lines,  thereby  preventing  the 
success  of  an  enemy  raid  in  force. 

Home  address:  Mrs.  Lucinda  Merrifield,  mother,  Green- 
ville, Illinois. 

Private  Merrifield  was  evacuated  to  Base  Hospital  No.  17, 
Sept  30,  1918,  consequently  his  medal  was  not  presented  to  him 
while  in  the  Division, 
Hammond,  Albx.,  Private,  Co.  E,  366th  Inf.  (A  S.  No.  2169003). 
Medal  No.  436.  For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Les- 
seau,  France,  4  September  1918. 

Although  he  was  severely  wounded.  Private  Hammond  re- 
mained at  his  post  and  continued  to  fight  a  superior  enemy  force 
which  had  attempted  to  enter  our  lines,  thereby  preventing  the 
success  of  an  enemy  raid  in  force. 

Home  address :    Will  Hanunond,  father,  Rt.  1,  Harvest,  Ala. 

Private  Hammond  was  evacuated  to  Base  Hospital  No.  17, 
Sept.  30,  1918,  consequently  his  medal  was  not  presented  to  him 
while  in  the  Division, 
Bell,  George,  Private,  Co,  E,  366th  Inf.  (A.  S.  No.  2168986).  Medal 
No,  437.  For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Lesseau, 
France,  4  September  1918. 

Although  he  was  severely  wounded,  Private  Bell  remained 
at  his  post  and  continued  to  fight  a  superior  enemy  force  which 
had  attempted  to  enter  our  lines,  thereby  preventing  the  success 
of  an  enemy  raid  in  force. 

Home  address :    Mrs.  Clara  Bell,  mother,  Et.  2,  Athens,  Ala. 

Private  George  Bell,  Co.  E,  366th  Inf.,  deceased,  Sept.  16, 
1918. 


178  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Olincy,  Will,  Private  1st  CI.,  Company  F,  366tli  Inf.  (A.  S.  No. 
2169151).  Medal  No.  438.  For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action 
near  Frapelle,  France,  4  September  1918. 

Private  Clincy  showed  exceptional  bravery  during  an  enemy 
raid.  His  teammate  on  an  automatic  rifle  having  been  mortally 
wounded  and  although  he  was  himself  severely  wounded,  he 
continued  to  serve  his  weapon  alone  until  the  raid  was  driven 
back. 

Home  address:  John  Clincy,  father,  2616-6th  Alley,  N. 
Birmingham,  Ala. 

Private  1st  Class  Will  Clincy,  Co.  F,  366th  Inf.,  was  evacu- 
ated to  Base  Hospital  (no  record  of  number),  Sept.  4,  1918,  con- 
sequently his  medal  was  not  presented  to  him  while  in  the  Di\a- 
sion. 
YoTJNG,  Charles  G.,  First  Lieut,  366th  Infantiy,  Medal  No.  931. 
For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Binarville,  France, 
27-28  September  1918. 

Lieutenant  Young,  while  in  command  of  a  scout  platoon, 
was  twice  severely  wounded  from  shell  fire,  but  refused  medical 
attention  and  remained  with  his  men,  helping  to  dress  their 
wounds  and  to  evacuate  his  own  wounded  during  the  entire 
night,  and  holding  firmly  his  exposed  position  covering  the  right 
flank  of  his  battalion. 

Home  address:    Mrs.  Millie  G.  Young,  wife,  1802  Greenlaw 
St.,  Austin,  Texas. 
Watkins,  Lewis,  Private  1st  Class,  Co.  A,  350th  Machine  Gun  Bat- 
talion (A.  S.  No.  2816183).    Medal  No.  1139.    For  extraordinary 
heroism  in  action  near  Eply,  France,  4  November  1918. 

Private  1st  Class  Watkins  accompanied  an  infantry  patrol, 
acting  as  gunner  with  a  heavy  machine  gun.  When  a  large  pariy 
of  the  enemy  had  ^vorked  around  the  flank  of  the  patrol  and  was 
advancing  across  a  road  along  which  the  patrol  was  withdrawing, 
Private  AVatkins  went  into  action  with  his  gun  at  a  range  of  less 
than  100  yards,  although  the  order  to  withdraw  had  been  given. 
Displaying  exceptional  coolness  and  bravery  under  heavy  rifle 
and  machine-gun  fire,  he  succeeded  in  dispersing  the  enemy.  He 
was  the  last  of  the  patrol  to  retire. 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  179 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  December  2,  1918, 
near  Pont-a-Mousson. 
Lawrence,  Jackson  S.,  Major  Medical  Corps,  368tli  Infantry.    Medal 
No.  1052.     For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  at  Binarvdlle, 
France,  30  September  1918. 

Major  Lawrence  with  two  soldiers  voluntarily  left  shelter 
and  crossed  an  open  space  fifty  yards  wide,  swept  by  shell  and 
macliine-gun  fire,  to  rescue  a  wounded  soldier,  whom  they 
carried  to  a  place  of  safety. 

Home  address:  Mrs.  Florence  McC.  Lawrence,  wife,  405 
S.  42nd  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Medal  presented  to  above  Officer  November  26,  1918,  at 
Villers-en-Haye. 
Davis,  Thomas  H.,  Private  1st  Class,  Sanitary  Detachment,  368th 
Infantry  (179930).    Medal  No.  1053.    For  extraordinary  heroism 
in  action  at  Binarville,  France,  30  September  1918. 

Private  Davis  with  an  officer  and  another  soldier  voluntarily 
left  shelter  and  crossed  an  open  space  fifty  yards  wide,  swept  by 
shell  and  machine-gun  fire,  to  rescue  a  wounded  soldier,  whom 
they  carried  to  a  place  of  safety. 

Home  address:  Mrs.  Francis  Davis,  mother,  49  West 
Lincoln  St.,  Hampton,  Va. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  November  26, 1918, 
at  Villers-en-Haye. 
Handy,  Edward  H.,  Private  1st  Class,  Company  B,  368th  Infantry 
(1799754).     Medal  No.   1054.     For  extraordinary  heroism  in 
action  at  Binarville,  France,  30  September  1918. 

Private  Handy  with  an  officer  and  another  soldier  volun- 
tarily left  shelter  and  crossed  an  open  space  fifty  yards  wide, 
swept  by  shell  and  machine-gun  fire,  to  rescue  a  wounded  soldier, 
whom  they  carried  to  a  place  of  safety. 

Home  address:  Mrs.  Rosena  Gibson,  sister,  2627V2  Vir- 
ginia Ave.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  November  26, 1918, 
at  Villers-en-Haye. 
Bhters,  Tom,  Private,  Co.  G,  366th  Inf.  (No.  2169507).    Medal  No. 
1633.    For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  the  Bois  de  la 
Voivrotte,  France,  11  November  1918. 


180  SCOTT '9  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Private  Eivers,  although  gassed,  volunteered  and  carried 
important  messages  through  heavy  barrages  to  the  support  eora- 
panies.    He  refused  first  aid  until  his  company  was  relieved 

Home  address ;  Mrs.  Cornelia  Rivers,  wife,  R.  F.  D.  2,  Box 
7,  Opelika,  Ala. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  December  11,  1918, 
at  Maron, 
Lewis,  Bernard,  Private,  Co.  A,  368th  Infantry.    Medal  No.  858.    For 
extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Binarville,  France,  30 
September  1918. 

Private  Lewis,  during  an  attack  on  Binarville,  volunteered 
to  go  down  the  road  that  leads  into  the  village,  to  rescue  a 
wounded  soldier  of  his  company.  To  accomplish  his  mission,  he 
was  compelled  to  go  under  heavy  machine  gun  and  shell  fire.  In 
total  disregard  of  personal  danger  he  brought  the  wounded  man 
Bafely  to  our  lines. 

Home  address:  Mrs.  Martha  Lewis,  mother,  135  E.  St., 
N.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  November  8,  1918, 
at  Villers-en-Haye. 
JutfBS,  Joseph,  Hqrs.  Co.,  368th  Infantry  (1798927).    Medal  No.  1731, 
For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Binarville,  France, 
30  September  1918. 

Private  James  went  to  the  aid  of  a  wounded  companion 
under  very  severe  machine-gun  and  artillery  fire  and  brought  him 
to  cover.  He  stayed  with  the  wounded  man,  giving  him  all 
possible  aid  until  assistance  came,  when  he  returned  to  his  place 
with  the  platoon. 

Home  address :  Mrs.  Martha  James,  mother,  1622  N.  Alder 
St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  January  2,  1919. 
Jones,  Thomas  Edward,  1st  Lieut.,  Med.  Corps,  368th  Inf.     Medal 
No.  1844.    For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near  Binarville, 
France,  27  September  1918. 

Lieutenant  Jones  went  into  an  open  area  subjected  to  direct 
machine-gun  fire  to  care  for  a  wounded  soldier  who  was  being 
carried  by  another  officer.  While  dressing  the  wounded  runner 
a  machine-gun  bullet  passed  between  his  arms  and  his  chest  and 
a  man  was  killed  within  a  few  yards  of  him. 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  181 

Home  address :  Mrs.  Leonie  Jones,  wife,  509  0  St.,  N.  W., 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Medal  presented  to  above  Officer  January  2, 1919. 
Bbbokenridge,  Robebt  M.,  Private  1st  Class  (Deceased),  Company 
H,  365th  Infantry   (1967624).     For  extraordinary  heroism  in 
action  at  Ferme  de  Bel  Air,  France,  29  October  1918. 

Although  severely  wounded  in  the  leg  from  shell  fire.  Private 
Breckenridge,  an  automatic  rifleman,  continued  in  action,  crawled 
forward  for  a  distance  of  100  yards  to  a  position  where  he 
obtained  a  better  field  of  fire,  and  assisted  preventing  an  enemy 
party  from  taking  a  position  on  the  company's  flank.  In  spite 
of  his  wound.  Private  Breckenridge  continued  to  use  his  weapon 
with  great  courage  and  skill  until  he  was  killed  by  enemy  machine 
gun  fire. 

Next  of  kin:     Amelia  Wilson^  mother,  Route  5,  Box  95, 
Hennessey,  Oklahoma. 
Pollard,  Russell,  Corporal,  Co.  H,  365th  Infantry  (1967745).    Medal 
No.  1899.    For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  at  Bois  Frehaut, 
France,  10  November  1918. 

During  the  assault  at  Bois  Frehaut,  Corporal  Pollard,  a 
rifle  grenadier,  conducted  his  squad  skillfully  in  firing  on  hostile 
machine  guns,  until  his  rifle  was  broken.  He  then  used  his  wire- 
cutters  with  speed  and  skill  under  heavy  shell  and  machine-gun 
fire.  Although  wounded  in  his  right  arm,  he  continued  to  cut 
the  wire  with  his  left  hand,  and  assisted  his  men  in  getting 
through  it,  until  ordered  to  the  dressing  station  a  second  time 
by  his  company  commander. 

Home  address:     Caroline  Pollard,  mother,  Weatherford, 
Texas. 
PuBSLEY,  Earl,  Private  1st  Class,  Medical  Detachment,  366th  Infan- 
try (2170837).    Medal  No.  1900.    For  extraordinary  heroism  in 
action  near  Lesseux,  France,  4  September  1918. 

Private  Pursley  voluntarily  carried  a  wounded  soldier  from 
an  exposed  position  under  intense  enemy  shell  fire  for  a  distance 
of  400  yards  to  dressing  station.  He  then  immediately  returned 
to  the  position  and  helped  to  dig  out  men  who  had  been  buried 
by  the  explosion  of  a  shell. 


182  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Home  address:     Earl  Pursley,  fatlier,   General  Delivery, 
Hickman,  Ky. 

Medal  presented  to  above  named  soldier  2  January  1919. 

Special  Mention  of  Officers  and  Men 

There  were  issued  from  Headquarters  of  the  92nd  Division  and 
also  by  the  Commanding  Officers  of  the  various  units  of  the  92nd 
Division  through  successive  periods  expressions  of  special  com- 
mendation of  various  officers  and  soldiers.  Among  those  which  may 
be  quoted  are  the  folloM*ing: 

Company  M,  368th  Infantrj^ 

Trench  Brealau,  94.1-71.75, 
3  October,  1918. 
FROM:  The  Commanding  Officer,  Co.  M.  368th  Inf. 

TO:  The  Commanding  Officer,  3rd  Battalion. 

SUBJECT:    Lt.  T.  M.  Dent,  368th  Inf. 

1.  I  desire  to  call  the  attention  of  the  Battalion  Commander  to  the  work 
of  First  Lieutenant  T.  M.  Dent,  368th  Infantry,  during  the  days  covering  the 
advance  from  Vienne-le-Chateau. 

2.  Lieut.  Dent  was  the  only  officer  present  with  me  during  the  greater 
part  of  that  time  and  his  conduct  was  at  all  times  characterized  by  fearless- 
ness and  initiative.  His  platoon  captured  a  German  automatic  rifle  which 
covered  the  bridge  crossing  the  Vallee  Moreau  and  he  later  on  the  same  day, 
28th  September,  led  his  platoon  to  the  wire  in  front  of  Trench  Clotilde  at 
92.5-73.5,  but  owing  to  hea\y  machine-gun  fire  from  his  right  was  unable  to 
remain  there  or  to  penetrate  the  unbroken  wire. 

3.  In  the  event  of  another  detail  from  this  Company  to  the  First  Corps 
Schools,  I  request  that  this  officer  be  given  the  opportunity  to  further  increase 
his  value  to  the  ser^-ice  by  attending  said  schools. 

R.  H.  Williams, 
Captain,  368th  Infantry, 

Headquarters  92nd  Division, 
Army  Post  Office  No.  766. 
American  Expeditionary  Forces. 
October  11,  1918. 
General  Orders  No.  27. 

1.  The  Commanding  General  desires  to  call  the  attention  of  the  entire 
command  to  the  excellent  work  and  meritorious  conduct  of  Captain  R,  A. 
Williams  and  First  Lieutenant  T.  M.  Dent,  both  of  the  368th  Infantrj-. 
During  the  days  of  the  fight  around  Vienne-le-Chateau  both  of  these  officers 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  183 

displayed  courage  and  leadership,  and  their  conduct  should  be  an  example 
to  the  other  officers  of  the  Division. 

2.     The  Division  Commander  desires  to  commend  the  conduct  of  Private 
Philip  Estrada  (1766914),  Battery  A,  350th  Field  Artillery,  who  at  the  risk 
of  his  own  life  saved  Corporal  Alfred  Tinson  (1767196),  Battery  B,  35(>th 
Field  Artillery,  from  drowning  on  or  about  the  8th  day  of  August,  1918. 
By  Command  of  Major  General  Ballou. 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Greer, 

Lieut.-Colonel,  General  Staff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 

HE^VDQUAETERS  92nD  DIVISION 

A.  P.  0.  766 

28  November,  1918. 
General  Orders  No.  35. 

*       #       * 

II.    PvT.  Beet  Walker,  367th  Infantr3\ 

The  Division  Commander  desires  to  commend  in  orders  the  meritorious 
conduct  of  Pvt.  Bert  Walker,  367th  Inf.  Pvt.  Walker,  on  November  9,  1918, 
in  the  vicinity  of  Villers-sous-Preny — after  it  was  learned  that  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Villers-sous-Preny  had  been  so  heavily  shelled  by  gas  shells  as  to  make 
it  almost  impassable — volunteered  to  assist  in  carrying  gas  masks  down  this 
road  to  organizations  in  position,  and  made  several  trips  through  this  gassed 
area,  helping  to  equip  and  protect  against  a  heavy  gas  attack  which  troops 
were  later  subjected  to. 

III.    Lieut.  E.  B.  Williams,  367th  Infantry. 

The  Division  Commander  desires  to  call  the  attention  of  the  entire  com- 
mand to  the  excellent  work  and  meritorious  conduct  of  Lieut.  E.  B.  Williams, 
1st  Battalion  Gas  Officer,  367th  Infantry.  During  the  action  around  Villers- 
sous-Preny  this  officer  was  gassed,  but  maintained  his  post  until  all  shell- 
holes  were  properly  covered  and  his  entire  area  free  from  gas.  Lieut.  Wil- 
liams refused  to  rest  until  ordered  to  do  so  by  his  superior  officer. 

By  Command  of  Major  General  Martin. 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Greer, 


Colonel,  General  Staff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 


Official : 

Edw.  J.  Turgeon, 

Major,  Infantry,  U,  S.  A., 

Adjutant. 


184  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

HEADiJUABTERS    NINETY-SECOND   DIVISION 

American  Expeditionary  Forces 

29th  November,  1918. 
General  Orders  No.  36. 

I.    2nd  Lieut.  Nathan  0.  Goodloe,  368th  Infantry. 

The  Division  Commander  desires  to  call  the  attention  of  the  entire  com- 
mand to  the  excellent  work  and  meritorious  conduct  of  2nd  Lieutenant 
Nathan  O.  Goodloe,  Machine  Gun  Company,  368th  Infantry.  During  the 
operations  in  the  Foret  D  'Argonne,  September  26  to  29,  1918,  this  officer  was 
attached  to  the  3rd  Battalion  of  his  regiment,  and  on  September  28,  during 
the  course  of  action,  it  became  necessary  to  reorganize  the  Battalion  and 
withdraw  a  part  of  it  to  a  secondary  position,  and  he  rendered  valuable  as- 
sistance. The  movement  was  carried  out  under  a  continual  machine-gun  Are 
from  the  enemy,  and  Lieut.  Goodloe 's  calm  courage  set  an  example  that 
inspired  confidence  in  his  men. 

II.    Wagjonee  Tom  Brown  (1725697),  Hq.  Det,  35l8t  M.  G.  Bn. 

The  Division  Commander  desires  to  commend  in  orders  the  meritorious 
conduct  of  Wagoner  Tom  Brown,  1725697,  Headquarters  Detachment,  35l8t 
Machine  Gun  Battalion,  who,  as  driver  with  a  combat  wagon  carrying  am- 
munition to  organizations  going  into  action  near  Vienne-le-Chateau,  in  the 
Argonne  Forest,  on  September  27,  1918,  displayed  marked  devotion  to  duty, 
exceptional  coolness,  and  great  courage  under  fire.  The  ammunition  was 
hauled  over  a  shell-swept  road  and  Wagoner  Brown  insisted  on  completing 
his  work,  even  after  his  wagon  and  horses  had  been  hurled  into  a  ditch ;  he, 
despite  a  painful  injury,  worked  faithfully  until  he  had  extricated  his  horses, 
and  his  conduct  was  such  as  to  merit  having  it  called  to  the  attention  of 
members  of  the  Division  as  worthy  of  emulation. 

By  Command  of  Major  General  Martin. 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Greer, 

Colonel,  General  Staff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 
Official : 

EdW.  J.   TURGEON, 

Major,  Infantry, 
Adjutant. 

headquarters  ninett-secx)nd  division 
American  Expeditionary  Forces 

1st  December,  1918. 
General  Orders  No.  37. 

1.  The  Division  Commander  desires  to  commend  in  orders  for  meri- 
torious conduct  in  action  at  Bois  Frehaut  near  Pont-i-Mousson,  France, 
November  10-11,  1918,  the  following  named  officers  and  enlisted  men : 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  185 

Major  E.  B.  Simmons,  Regimental  Surgeon,  365th  Infantry; 

Captain  John  H.  Allen,  Machine  Gun  Company,  365th  Infantry; 

let  Lieut  Leon  F.  Stewart,  2nd  Bn.  Scout  Officer,  365th  Infantry ; 

let  Lieut.  Frank  L.  Drye,  Company  "E",  365th  Infantry; 

Ifit  Lieut.  Walter  Lyons,  Company  "G",  365th  Infantry; 

Ist  Lieut.  Bravid  W.  Harriss,  Company  "H",  365th  Infantry; 

1st  Lieut  Benjamin  F.  Ford,  Company  "H",  365th  Infantry; 

2nd  Lieut  George  L.  Gaines,  Company  **G",  365th  Infantry; 

2nd  Lieut  Russell  C.  Atkins,  Company  "H",  365th  Infantry; 

Sergeant  Richard  W.  White,  2073368,  2nd  Bn.  Scouts,  365th  Infantry; 

Sergeant  John  Simpson,  2074325,  M.  G.  Co.,  365th  Infantry; 

Sergeant  Robert  Townsend,  1967208,  Company  "E",  365th  Infantry; 

Sergeant  Solomon  D.  Colston,  2073518,  Company  "E",  365th  Infantry; 

Sergeant  Ransom  Elliot,  1967307,  Company  "G",  365th  Infantry; 

Supply  Sergeant  Charles  Jackson,  2073816,  Company  "H",  365th  Inf.; 

Corporal  Thomas  B.  Coleman,  1967082,  Company  "E",  365th  Infantry; 

Corporal  Albert  Taylor,  2091596,  Company  "E",  365th  Infantry; 

Corporal  Charles  Reed,  2073745,  Company  "G,"  365th  Infantry; 

Corporal  James  Conley,  2073730,  Company  "G",  365th  Infantry; 

Private  1st  Class  Jesse  Cole,  2817706,  Company  "G",  365th  Infantry; 

Private  Ist  Class  Earl  Swanson,  1967391,  Company  "G",  365th  Inf.f 

Private  Ist  Class  James  Hill,  2091205  (deceased),  Co.  "H",  365th  Inf.; 

Private  Ist  Class  Charles  White,  2089235,  Company  "H",  365th  Inf.; 

Private  George  Chaney,  2655690,  Company  "H",  365th  Infantry. 

II.  The  Division  Commander  desires  to  commend  in  orders  for  meritori- 
ous conduct  in  action  as  specified  below,  the  following  named  officers  and 
enlisted  men : 

During  action  near  Frapelle,  France,  September  3,  1918: 

Sergeant  Isaac  Hill,  2169092,  Company  ''F",  366th  Infantry. 

During  action  near  Lesseux,  France,  September  7,  1918: 

let  Lieut  John  Q.  Lindsey,  Company  "E",  366th  Infantry. 

During  action  near  Heminville,  France,  November  10-11,  1918 : 

Irt  Lieut.  Edward  W.  Bates,  Medical  Corps,  Ambulance  Co.  No.  368 ; 

Sergeant  Werter  L.  Gross,  2167835,  Company  "A",  366th  Infantry. 

By  command  of  Major  General  Martin: 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Greer, 


Colonel,  General  Staff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 


Official: 

EdW.  J.  TUROEON, 

Major,  Infantry,  U.  S.  A., 
Adjutant. 


186  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

HEADQUARTERS  NINETY-SECOND  DIVISION 

Army  Post  Office  No.  766 
American  Expeditionary  Forces 

6th  December,  1918. 
General  Orders  No.  38. 

I.    Sergeant  Rufus  B.  Atwood,  1974547,  325th  Field  Signal  Battalion. 

The  Division  Commander  desires  to  call  the  attention  of  the  entire  com- 
mand to  the  excellent  work  and  meritorious  conduct  of  Sergeant  Rufus  B. 
Atwood,  1974547,  325th  Field  Signal  Battalion.  On  the  morning  of  Novem- 
ber 10,  1918,  while  returning  to  the  switchboard  in  Pont-a-Mousson,  a  shell 
struck  the  house  in  which  the  switchboard  was  being  operated,  breaking  all 
the  lines.  Sergeant  Atwood  rendered  valuable  assistance  to  the  officer  in 
charge  in  reconstructing  the  switchboard  and  connecting  new  lines  under 
heavy  shell  fire.  When  the  ammunition  dump  began  to  explode  in  the  same 
neighborhood,  he  remained  on  the  job,  tapping  new  connections.  After  re- 
pairs Avere  made  from  the  first  explosion,  there  were  two  to  follow  which 
completely  wrecked  the  switchboard  room  and  tore  out  all  the  lines  which 
were  newly  fixed.  Sergeant  Atwood  was  left  alone,  and  he  established  a  new 
switchboard  and  the  same  connections  they  had  at  first.  The  eoohiess  with 
which  he  went  about  his  work  and  the  initiative  he  took  in  handling  the  situa- 
tion justifies  his  being  mentioned  in  orders. 
II.  Private  Ch.vrles  E.  Boykin  (Deceased),  Co.  "C",  325th  Field  Signal  Bn. 

The  Division  Commander  desires  to  commend  in  orders  the  meritorious 
conduct  of  Private  Charles  E.  Boykin,  Company  C,  325th  Field  Signal  Bat- 
talion. On  the  afternoon  of  September  26,  1918,  while  the  368th  Infantry 
was  in  action  in  the  Argonne  Forest,  the  Regimental  Commander  moved  for- 
ward to  establish  a  P.  C.  and  came  upon  a  number  of  Germans,  who  fled  to 
the  woods,  which  were  found  to  be  alive  with  machine  guns.  The  Command- 
ing Officer  ordered  the  woods  searched  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  the  officer  in 
charge  of  the  scouting  called  for  volunteers,  and  Private  Boykin,  a  telephone 
linesman,  offered  his  services  and  set  out  with  the  rest  of  the  detail.  "While 
trying  to  flank  an  enemy  machine  gun  another  opened  fire,  killing  him 
instantly. 

By  command  of  Major  General  Martin: 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Greer, 

Colonel,  General  St^ff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 
Official : 

EdW.  J.  TURQEON, 

Major,  Infantrj'-,  U.  S.  A.. 
Adjutant. 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  187 

HEADQUARTERS  92nD   DIVISION 

A.  P.  0.  766 

16  November,  1918. 
General  Orders  No.  32. 

I.  The  Commanding  General  wishes  to  call  the  attention  of  the  com- 
mand to  the  excellent  and  meritorious  conduct  of  the  following  officers  and 
enlisted  men : 

Major  "Warner  A.  Ross,  365th  Infantry. 

Captain  William  W.  Green,  365th  Infantry. 

Sergeant  Rufus  Bradley,  2073505,  Company  E,  365th  Infantry. 

Bugler  Junius  Jules,  2075822,  Company  H,  365th  Infantry. 

During  the  advance  of  November  10,  1918,  in  the  action  of  Bois  Frehaut, 
these  officers  and  men  displayed  such  exceptional  bravery  and  coolness  under 
fire  as  to  merit  commendation  in  orders. 

This  order  will  be  read  to  the  command  at  first  assembly  after  its  receipt. 

II.  The  Commanding  General  wishes  to  call  the  attention  of  the  com- 
mand to  the  excellent  and  meritorious  conduct  of  the  following  officers  and 
enlisted  men  of  Company  A,  366th  Infantry: 

1st  Lieutenant  William  H.  Clark,  1st  Lieutenant  William  Jones,  1st  Ser- 
geant Eugene  Love,  Sergeant  Gus  Hicks,  Sergeant  Richard  Parker,  Sergeant 
James  B.  Green,  Corporal  John  II.  James,  Corporal  Fred  Lewis,  Corporal 
Ben  L.  Moore,  Bugler  Irvin  Turpin,  Pvt,  1st  CI.  Fred  Littlejohn,  Pvt.  1st 
CL  Ed  Martin,  Pvt.  Ist  CI.  Riley  Porter,  Pvt.  1st  CI.  Ames  Robertson,  Pvt. 
1st  CI.  Mathew  Rose,  Pvt.  Ist  CI.  Lonnie  Rice,  Pvt.  1st  CI.  Richard  Wells, 
Pvt,  1st  CI.  Henry  Williams,  Private  Conce  Cooks,  Private  Willis  Coles, 
Private  Charles  Dozier,  Private  Frank  W.  Franklin,  Private  Harvey  Hite, 
Private  Leonard  Morton,  Private  Clarence  Leake. 

In  the  action  near  Bois  de  Voivrotte,  France,  on  November  11,  1918, 
these  officers  displayed  such  excellent  qualities  of  leadership  and  courage,  and 
the  men  such  heroic  conduct  and  attention  to  duty  under  fire,  as  to  merit 
commendation  in  orders. 

This  order  will  be  read  to  the  command  at  first  assembly  after  its  receipt. 

By  command  of  Major  General  Ballou. 

(Signed)     Allen  J.  Greer, 

Colonel,  General  Staff, 
Chief  of  Staff. 
Official : 

EdW.   J.    TURGEON, 

Major,  Infantry,  U.  S.  A., 
Adjutant. 


188  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

HEADQUARTERS  372nD  INFANTRY 

S.  P.  179,  France 
Granges,  Vosges. 

December  23,  1918. 
(1383) 

FROM:  The  Acting  Adjutant. 

TO:  Captain  Clarence  S.  Janifer,  92nd  Division,  American  E.  F., 

France. 
SUBJECT:    Decoration. 

1 .  It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  inform  you  that  you  have  been  awarded  a 
Croix  de  Guerre  with  citation  in  the  orders  of  the  157th  Division.  The  ap- 
proval of  the  award  was  received  from  the  Personnel  Section,  G.  H.  Q.,  Amer- 
ican E.  F.,  on  December  14tK 

2.  The  citation  is  as  follows: 

1st  Lisut.  Clarence  S.  Janifer,  M.  C.  Surgeon  3rd  Battalion  372nd  Infantry. 
"Fearless  to  danger,  established  his  First  Aid  Post  on  the  battlefield  in 
front  of  Bussy  Farm  September  28,  1918,  following  the  Battalion  in  the  open 
fields,  giving  help  and  relief  to  the  wounded  and  dying  at  first  hand." 

Pending  the  receipt  of  the  oflBcial  citation  from  the  157th  Division,  this 
letter  will  serve  as  authority  for  the  wearing  of  the  Croix  de  Guerre  with  a 
silver  star. 

(Signed)    Preston  F.  Walsh, 

Captain  Infantry,  U.  S.  A. 
I  certify  that  the  above  letter  is  a  true  copy. 

T.  T.  Thompson, 
1st  Lt,  Inf.,  U.  S.  A. 

There  were  many  snch  commenaations  of  individual  soldiers 
issued  during  the  period  of  the  stay  of  the  92nd  Division  in  France. 

No  ofiBcer  in  the  92nd  Division  won  the  respect  and  devotion  of 
his  men  more  completely  than  did  Brigadier-General  Malvern-Hill 
Barnum,  commanding  the  183rd  Brigade.  That  General  Bamum  felt 
a  deep  attachment  to  his  command  is  shown  by  the  following  letter 
addressed  to  the  entire  brigade: 

A,  P.  0.  714,  France. 
22  December,  1918. 
From:        Malvern-Hill  Barnum,  Brigadier-General,  U.  S.  A. 
To:  The  Officers  and  men  of  the  183rd  Brigade. 

Subject:    Relief  from  command. 

The  order  detaching  me  from  command  of  the  183rd  Brigade  was  unex- 
pected and  coming,  as  it  did,  just  as  the  Brigade  was  moving,  made  it  im- 


CITATIONS  AND  AWARDS,  92ND  DIVISION  189 

possible  for  me  to  give  expression  to  my  regret  at  having  to  sever  an  asso- 
ciation of  over  a  year  and  one  that  will  be  one  of  the  pleasantest  recollec- 
tions of  my  Army  career. 

Having  organized  and  trained  the  183rd  Brigade  and  commanded  it 
through  its  active  service  in  the  present  war,  I  can  speak  for  the  willing 
compliance  to  all  requirements  that  made  the  work  very  enjoyable.  When 
men  work  with  their  hearts  as  well  as  their  heads  and  hands,  the  best  results 
are  certain  to  follow. 

I  feel  that  the  officers  and  enlisted  men  of  the  Brigade  may  justly  be 
proud  of  the  record  made  and  I  believe  that  history  will  accord  them  no 
little  credit. 

I  trust  that  each  one  will  do  his  utmost  to  insure  to  the  Brigade  the 
finest  record  possible  during  the  remainder  of  its  period  of  service. 

Finally  in  returning  to  their  homes  I  trust  that  each  one  will  take  with 
him  a  high  sense  of  responsibility  as  an  American  citizen  and  a  keen  desire 
to  perform  faithfully  whatever  duties  fall  to  him  in  the  future. 

With  such  a  heritage  from  his  Army  service  each  one  will  not  only  have 
helped  win  the  war  and  thus  rendered  a  great  service  to  humanity,  but  will 
himself  have  become  the  gainer  through  the  remaining  years  of  his  life. 

(Signed)     Malvern-Hh^l  Babnum. 

This  letter  will  be  published  to  all  members  of  the  command  at  the 
earliest  opportunity. 

By  order  of  Colonel  Parrott. 
Hq.  366th  Infantry.  (Signed)    B.  D.  McCord, 

December  24,  1918.  Capt.  and  Adjt.,  366th  Inf. 


CHAPTER  Xni 

THE  STORY  OF  "THE  BUFFALOES" 

Glorious  Record  of  the  367th  Infantry  Regiment — Colonel  James 
A,  Moss — Presentation  of  Colors  at  the  Union  League  Club — 
The  "Buffaloes"  in  France— How  They  "Saw  It  Through"  at 
Metz — Their  Heroic  Condu<;t  Under  Fire — Regims'iitdl  Colors 
Decorated  by  Order  of  the  French  High  Command — A  Tribute 
From  France  to  "These  Sunburned  Americans." 

Quite  naturally,  and  witli  pardonable  pride,  all  the  officers  and 
men  of  each  unit  of  the  92nd  Division  regard  their  particular  unit 
as  having  contributed  most  to  the  glory  of  that  Division  and  to 
the  record  of  the  achievements  of  Negro  troops  upon  battlefields 
overseas.  However,  it  will  probably  not  be  disputed  that  the  367th 
U.  S.  Infantry  was,  in  some  respects,  the  most  notable  unit  of  the 
92nd  Division. 

The  367th  Regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  Upton,  N.  Y.,  on 
November  3,  1917,  pursuant  to  Order  No.  105,  War  Department, 
1917,  and  Special  Order  No.  72,  Headquarters  77th  Division,  1917. 
Colonel  James  A.  Moss,  Lieutenant  Colonel  William  G.  Doane, 
Majors  Charles  L.  Mitchell,  Fred  W.  Bugbee  and  William  H.  Ed- 
wards were  assigned  to  and  joined  the  regiment,  3rd  November, 
1917,  per  Order  No.  105,  War  Department,  1917. 

Pursuant  to  telegraphic  instructions  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment, 2nd  November,  1917,  Major  Henry  N.  Arnold,  Inf.  R.  C,  was 
transferred  to  the  regiment  vice  Major  William  H.  Edwards,  trans- 
ferred to  the  306th  Machine  Gun  Battalion. 

The  Captains  of  the  regiment  (with  the  exception  of  the  Regi- 
mental Adjutant,  Commanding  Officers'  Headquarters  and  Supply 
Companies),  also  the  Ist  and  2nd  Lieutenants,  graduated  from  the 
Officers'  Training  Camp,  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  were  assigned 
to  and  joined  the  regiment  3rd  November,  1917,  per  Special  Order 
72,  Headquarters  77th  Division,  1917. 

190 


THE  STORY  OF  "THE  BUFFALOES"  191 

The  Regimental  Adjutant,  Captain  Frederic  Bull;  Command- 
ing Officer,  Headquarters  Company,  Captain  Benjamin  F.  Norris, 
and  Supply  Officer,  Captain  Charles  L.  Appleton,  were  transferred 
to  the  regiment  3rd  November,  1917,  from  the  152nd  Depot  Brigade, 
77th  Division,  per  Special  Order  No.  72,  Headquarters  77th  Divi- 
sion, 1917. 

The  enlisted  personnel  of  the  regiment  was  assigned  from 
selective  draft  men,  who  joined  as  follows: 

In  November,  1917:  New  York,  N.  Y.,  1,198;  Camp  Devens, 
M^ss.,  22;  Camp  Custer,  Mich.,  301;  Camp  Lewis,  Wash.,  100. 

In  December,  1917:  Camp  Travis,  Tex.,  300;  Camp  Pike,  Ark., 
600;  Camp  Lee,  Va.,  300. 

Six  enlisted  men  from  the  Regular  Army  were  transferred  to 
the  regiment. 

During  the  period,  3rd  November,  1917,  to  31st  December,  1917, 
the  troops  of  the  regiment  were  given  training  and  instruction 
daily,  Saturdays,  Sundays,  and  holidays  excepted,  in  the  prescribed 
course  of  instruction  for  officers  and  men. 

The  field  officers,  regimental  adjutant,  regimental  supply  offi- 
cer, regimental  surgeon,  and  the  commanding  officers  of  the  Head- 
quarters Company,  nine  in  all,  were  white,  while  all  the  company 
officers  (87),  except  the  conmiander  of  the  Headquarters  Company; 
the  medical  officers,  except  the  regimental  surgeon;  the  dental  sur- 
geons, and  the  chaplain,  97  in  all,  were  colored  officers.  The 
colored  officers,  with  the  exception  of  the  chaplain,  were  all  grad- 
uates of  the  Fort  Des  Moines  (Iowa)  Officers'  Training  Camp. 

The  enlisted  men  (3,699)  were  drafted  from  various  parts  of 
the  country,  quotas  having  come  from  Camp  Devens,  Camp  Custer, 
Camp  Lewis,  Camp  Lee,  Camp  Pike,  Camp  Travis,  and  about  1,500 
from  New  York  and  Brooklyn.  An  enlisted  training  cadre  of  19 
men  was  assigned  to  the  regiment  from  the  25th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

Being  trained  at  Camp  Upton,  near  New  York  City,  the  atten 
tion  of  the  metropolitan  press  was  focused  upon  this  particular 
regiment,  which  was  commanded  by  a  Southern  officer.  Colonel 
James  A.  Moss,  a  West  Point  gTaduate,  who  was  born  in  Louisiana. 
Colonel  Moss  early  began  to  put  the  367th  Infantiy  **on  the  map" 
after  the  regiment  was  organized;  first  by  speaking  before  the 
Union  League  Club  and  other  important  organizations  in  the  City 


192  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  New  York,  and  by  the  formation  of  the  367th  Infantry  Welfare 
League,  the  object  of  which  was  to  keep  open  the  line  of  communica- 
tion with  the  home  ties  that  the  colored  soldiers  had  left  behind. 
Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt  became  its  Honorary  President,  follow- 
ing an  address  he  made  to  the  men  of  the  regiment  at  Camp  Upton, 
October  18,  1917.  Colonel  Roosevelt  was  delighted  with  the  regi- 
mental singing  and  was  fervent  in  his  praise  of  the  men.  lie 
officers  of  the  League  were :  Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt,  Honorary 
President;  Hon.  Charles  W.  Anderson,  First  Vice-President;  Dr. 
W.  M.  Moss,  Second  Vice-President;  Dr.  William  Jay  Schieffelin, 
Treasurer;  Captain  Walter  B.  Williams,  Secretary;  George  W. 
Lattimore,  Field  Secretary,  and  Colonel  James  A.  Moss,  Com- 
mandant, 367th  Infantry. 

This  regiment  paraded  with  the  77th  Division  through  the 
streets  of  New  York  City  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration  of 
George  Washington's  birthday,  February  22,  1918,  and  was 
acclaimed  by  the  metropolitan  press  as  presenting  a  fine  soldiery 
appearance;  this  was  especially  noteworthy  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
nearly  one-half  of  the  men  had  been  drafted  from  the  far  South 
and  had  come  up  from  cotton  plantations  and  fields  without  pre- 
vious military  experience. 

Union  Lea^e  Club  Presents  Colors 

A  particularly  notable  incident  in  connection  with  the  stay  of 
the  367th  Infantry  at  Camp  Upton  was  the  ** presentation  of  colors** 
by  the  Union  League  Club  on  Saturday,  March  23,  1918,  The 
Union  League  Club  during  the  Civil  War  always  stood  firmly  and 
boldly  for  equal  rights  of  American  citizens,  regardless  of  color. 
It  decided,  in  1863,  to  enlist  Negroes  of  New  York  State  in  the 
Union  Army  and  within  one  month  raised  $18,000  for  that  pur- 
pose and  in  November,  1863,  one  thousand  and  twenty  Negroes — a 
regiment — were  in  training  on  Riker's  Island.  There  remained 
in  addition  six  hundred  men,  who  formed  the  skeleton  of  a  second 
regiment  which  the  club  subsequently  raised.  These  regiments 
were  known  during  the  Civil  War  as  the  Twentieth  and  Twenty- 
sixth  U.  S.  Colored  Troops.  Later  the  club  assisted  in  the  recruit- 
ing of  two  more  colored  regiments.  The  recruiting  of  Negro  soldiers, 
however,  was  not  regarded  with  general  favor.    The  then  Governor 


Above — Bureau    of   War    Risk    Insurance. 

Front  Row,  Left  to  Right — Miss  V.  L.  Comer,  Atlanta,  Ga.;  Mrs.  F.  Alston,  Mobile,  Ala.: 
Mr.  W.  Bernard  Gardner,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  Miss  V.  B.  Adams,  Washington,  D.  C. : 
Miss  F.  M.  Botteese,  Washington,  D.  C. :  Miss  B.   Kebble,  Waco,  Tex. 

Second  Row,  Left  to  Right — Miss  C.  J.  Tarby,  Boston,  Mass.;  Miss  E.  M.  Cameron.  Bir- 
mingham, Ala.;  Mrs.  H.  L.  Johnson,  Washington,  D.  C;  Miss  E.  R.  Nelson,  Laurel. 
Miss.;    Mrs.    E.    T.    Albert,    Washington,    D.    C. 

Beloic — Officials  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Department  for  Colored   Troops. 

Front  Row,  I.,eft  to  Right — Wm.  J.  Faulkner,  Placement;  Jesse  E.  Moorland,  Executive 
Secretarv;    Robert  B.   DeFrantz,   Personnel. 

Hack  Row,  Left  to  Right — Geo.  L.  Johnson,  Religious  Work;  Max  Yergan,  Overseas; 
J.    Francis    Gregory,    Religious    Work. 


Above — Gr-dup  of  Depot  Company  Sergeants  of  the  372nd  Infantry  behind  the  lines 
waiting-   for  orders   to   advance. 

Beloic — Truck  Train  of  365th  Infantry  unloading-  troops  at  Bruyeres.  It  required  the 
services  of  500  big-  army  trucks  for  three  days  and  nights  to  transport  the  92nd 
Division  from  Bourbonne-les-Bains  to  this  point  in  the  Vosges  zone. 


Above — Group    of    tvpical    French    Colonials.      These    Senegalese    Troops    were    brought    di- 
rectly  from   the  Colonies   in  Africa  for  the   war.    is   fully   related   in   Chapter  X  of   this 


volume.  ,        ^,        -,  ,  ,.  , 

Below — German    prisoners    of    war    being    brought    into    camp    by    the    Psegro    soldiers    who 
surprised  a  large  detachment  and  took  them  prisoners. 


E---  t: 


eS  en      5 

52  t 


\Z     C 


<D.C 


cS       V- 


,  £   .  ~-  - 

C        1,0^"^ 

5!  .S  ^  I  "" 


Above — Commander    of    Labor    Battalion     and    Staff    at    Governor's    Island.       Capt.    E.     S. 

Jones  was  Commander  of  the  U.   S.   Labor  Battalion   stationed   at  this   point. 
Reloio — Baltimore    War    Camp    Community    Circle.      Some    of    the    beds    at    the    War    Camp 

Community    Service    Colored    Club    which    is    typical    of    many    such    clubs    organized 

throughout  the  entire  United  States. 


Above — Gi'oup   of  colored   woman   war    wrlors    i.f   tlie    New    Orleans   Chapter   of  American 

Red    Cross. 
Below — Negro    Sailors    enjoying-    a   few    hours'    •'liberty"    in    the    restrooms,    American    Red 

Cross  Headquarters,   New  Orleans. 


AMERICAN 
EXPEDITIONARY    FORCES 

Corps  Expediiionnaires  Amcricains 

IDENTITY  CARD 

CARTE    D'IDENTITE 
Name  y4fi^^  ^  ^J^-«.-U«Lwi^ 

Grade     ^     UjL^ T"*^.  ^       ^  / 

Duty   4^'^^^^^J  ^^^VT?*^     <^^^<-7( 


Signal 
of  Ho 

Sii',natur( 
du    !  ilulai 


m^. 


AboLc,  Left — J'^inist  I'.  Attwcll,  who  did  ort;anizati<jii  work  aiuoiiy  the  eululed  people  Tor 
Food  Administration.  Center — tst-tt.  -  Denton  J.  Brooks,  Regimental  Insurance 
Officer',  365th  Infantry,  who  covered  members  of  his  reginrent  with  over  $29,000,000 
War  Risk  Insurance.  Right — Chas.  H.  Williams,  Special  Investigator  for  Committee 
on  Welfare  of  Negro  troops  and  conditions  existing  among  Negro  soldiers  in  camps 
and    war   camp   community   centers. 

Below — Capt.  Dee  Jones,  and  sample  Identification  Card  printed  in  English  and  French 
carried  by  all  Amei-ican  soldiers  of  Kxpeditionary  Forces  in  Europe.  On  each  identity 
car^d  was  shown  photo  of  its  owner  and  a  number  corresponding  with  metal  tag  worn 
by  each  soldier. 


THE  STORY  OF  "THE  BUFFALOES"  193 

of  New  York  State  not  only  refused  bis  authority,  but  witblield  bis 
sanction  of  the  movement,  and  it  became  necessary  for  tlie  Union 
League  Club  to  obtain  the  proper  authority  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment at  Washington.  It  was  not  a  matter  of  surprise,  then,  that 
the  Union  League  Club  decided  to  present  a  "stand  of  colors"  to 
the  367th  Infantry  that  comprised  so  large  a  number  of  colored 
draftees  from  New  York  City  and  State  for  service  in  the  World 
War. 

The  367th  Infantry  regiment  Avas  a  part  of  the  first  contingent 
of  the  92nd  Division  that  sailed  for  overseas,  leaving  the  port  of 
embarkation  at  Hoboken,  N.  J.,  on  June  19,  1918,  and  arriving  at 
Brest,  France,  on  June  29,  1918.  The  regiment  made  a  notable 
record  in  France — the  entire  First  Battalion  of  the  367th  (Buffalo) 
Infantry  being  cited  for  braveiy  and  awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre, 
thus  entitling  every  officer  and  man  in  the  battalion  to  wear  this 
distinguished  French  decoration.  This  citation  was  made  by  the 
French  Commission  because  of  the  splendid  service  and  bravery 
shown  by  this  battalion  in  the  last  engagement  of  the  war, 
Sunday  and  Monday,  November  10  and  11,  in  the  drive  to  Metz. 
This  battalion  went  into  action  through  a  valley  commanded  by 
the  heavy  German  guns  of  Metz,  and  held  the  Germans  at  bay 
ivhile  the  56th  Regiment  retreated,  b\it  not  until  it  had  suffered 
a  heavy  loss.  In  the  record  of  operations  of  the  92nd  Division 
as  a  whole,  the  detailed  statement  of  the  glorious  part  played  by 
the  367th  Infantry  (see  Chapters  XI  and  XII)  will  be  noted.  It  may 
be  said  that  this  unit  lived  up  to  its  regimental  motto — ''SEE  IT 
THROUGH." 

Particular  reference  is  made  to  this  regiment  (the  367th 
U.  S.  A.),  not  only  because  its  splendid  record  at  home  and 
achievements  overseas  merits  special  mention,  but  also  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  out  in  bold  relief  the  fact  that  it  is  possible 
for  a  white  man  born  and  bred  in  the  South  to  learn  to  appreciate 
the  real  worth  of  the  Negro  soldier  and,  whenever  placed  in  com- 
mand of  them,  to  treat  them  as  all  American  soldiers  should  be 
treated  and  to  accord  to  them  a  full  measure  of  respect,  oppor- 
tunity, and  credit.  This  has  been  notably  true  in  the  case  of 
Colonel  James  A.  Moss,  Commanding  Officer  of  the  regiment,  who 
enjoyed  the  confidence  and  even  the  affection  of  the  men  of  his 


194  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

command.  It  will  be  interesting,  in  this  connection,  to  read  the 
tribute  which  he  paid  to  the  Negro  as  a  soldier  and  military- 
officer,  and  which  was  issued  as  an  "Introduction*'  to  a  booklet 
concerning  his  regiment  of  colored  soldiers: 

STATEMENT  BY 
COLONEL  JAMES  A.   MOSS,  COMMANDING  367th  INFANTRY,  U.   S.  A. 

**  Having  been  born  and  reared  in  the  State  of  Louisiana, 
whose  confines  I  did  not  leave  until  I  went  to  West  Point  at  the 
age  of  eighteen,  and  having  served  eighteen  years  with  colored 
troops,  including  two  campaigns,  what  I  say  about  the  colored 
man  as  a  soldier  is  therefore  based  on  many  years'  experience  with 
him  in  civil  life  and  in  the  Army — in  peace  and  in  war,  in  garrison 
and  in  the  field. 

*'If  properly  trained  and  instructed,  the  colored  man  makes 
as  good  a  soldier  as  the  world  has  ever  seen.  The  history  of  the 
Negro  in  all  of  our  wars,  including  our  Indian  campaigns,  shows 
this.  He  is  by  nature  of  a  happy  disposition;  he  is  responsive 
and  tractable;  he  is  very  amenable  to  discipline;  he  takes  pride 
in  his  uniform;  he  has  faith  and  confidence  in  his  leader;  he  pos- 
sesses physical  courage — all  of  which  are  valuable  military  assets. 

*'The  secret  of  making  an  efficient  soldier  out  of  the  colored 
man  lies  in  knowing  the  qualities  he  possesses  that  are  military 
assets,  and  which  I  have  named,  and  then  appealing  to  and  devel- 
oping them — that  is,  utilizing  them  to  the  greatest  extent  possible. 

''Make  the  colored  man  feel  that  you  have  faith  in  him,  and 
then,  by  sympathetic  and  conscientious  training  and  instruction, 
help  him  to  fit  himself  in  a  military  way  to  vindicate  that  faith, 
to  'make  good.'  Be  strict  with  him,  but  treat  him  fairly  and  justly, 
making  him  realize  that  in  your  dealings  with  him  he  will  always 
be  given  a  square  deal.  Commend  him  when  he  does  well  and 
punish  him  when  he  is  refractory — that  is  to  say,  let  him  know 
that  he  will  always  get  what  is  coming  to  him,  whether  it  be  reward 
or  whether  it  be  punishment.  In  other  words,  treat  and  handle 
the  colored  man  as  you  would  any  other  human  being  out  of  whom 
you  would  make  a  good  soldier,  out  of  whom  you  would  get  the 
best  there  is  in  him,  and  you  will  have  as  good  a  soldier  as  history 
has  ever  known — a  man  who  will  drill  well,  shoot  well,  march  well, 


THE  STORY  OP  "THE  BUFFALOES"  195 

obey  well,  fight  well — in  short,  a  man  who  will  give  a  good  account 
of  himself  in  battle,  and  who  will  conduct  and  behave  himself 
properly  in  camp,  in  garrison  and  in  other  places. 

'*I  commanded  colored  troops  in  the  Cuban  campaign  and  in 
the  Philippine  campaign,  and  I  have  had  some  of  them  killed  and 
wounded  by  my  very  side.  At  no  time  did  they  ever  falter  at  the 
command  to  advance  nor  hesitate  at  the  order  to  charge. 

*'I  am  glad  that  I  am  to  command  colored  soldiers  in  this,  my 
third  campaign — in  the  greatest  war  the  world  has  ever  known. 

(Signed)     **Jas.  A.  Moss, 
<* Colonel  367th  Infantry." 

Colonel  Moss  has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best- 
known  military  authors  in  the  world.  He  has  written  twenty-six 
military  books,  of  which  several  have  been  for  years  regarded  as 
standard.  His  ''Manual  of  Military  Training"  has  been  called 
the  ''Encyclopaedia  Britannica  of  the  Army."  His  "Oflficers' 
Manual,"  a  guide  in  official  and  social  matters,  is  used  by  prac- 
tically every  young  officer  entering  the  Army.  His  "Privates' 
Manual"  was  adopted  several  years  ago  by  the  United  States 
Marine  Corps,  and  a  copy  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  every  recruit. 
Other  books  of  his,  such  as  "Non-Commissioned  Officers'  Manual," 
"Army  Paperwork,"  "Infantry  Drill  Regulations  Simplified," 
"Field  Service,"  "Riot  Duty,"  "Company  Training,"  and 
"Applied  Minor  Tactics,"  are  also  regarded  as  standards  among 
all  military  men.  Since  his  graduation  from  West  Point  in  1894 
Colonel  Moss 's  service  has  been  distinguished.  It  includes  a  record 
of  three  campaigns.  In  addition,  he  was  aide-de-camp  for  three 
years  to  Lieutenant-General  Henry  C.  Corbin,  during  which  time, 
although  only  a  captain  in  the  Regular  Army,  he  had  the  rank,  pay, 
and  allowances  of  lieutenant-colonel.  For  three  years  he  was 
instructor  at  the  Army  Serv^ice  Schools,  Fort  Leavenworth, 
Kansas.  In  1911  and  1912  he  was  on  special  duty  in  the  office  of 
the  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army,  General  Leonard  Wood,  by  whom 
he  had  been  specially  selected  to  reduce  and  simplify  the  adminis- 
trative work  of  the  Army.  Not  only  is  he  the  father  of  the  present 
system  of  Army  correspondence,  but  he  also  gave  to  the  service 
the  new,  simplified  pay  and  muster  rolls,  and  several  other  labor- 


196  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

saving  blank  forms  tliat  have  done  much  to  reduce  military 
administrative  work. 

Perhaps  the  secret  underlying  the  splendid  relations  that  con- 
tinually existed  between  this  Southern  white  Army  officer  and  the 
colored  soldiers  and  officers  of  his  conmiand,  is  partly  disclosed  in 
the  brief  biographical  sketch  of  his  military  career  given  above, 
for,  whenever  a  THOROUGHLY  EDUCATED  WHITE  MAN 
meets  the  EDUCATED  TYPE  AND  BETTER  CLASS  OF 
NEGRO  MEN,  like  most  if  not  all  of  those  comprising  the  officer- 
group  of  the  367th  Regiment,  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  so- 
called  Race  Problem  are  simplified  and  reduced  to  the  minimum. 

The  success  of  the  367th  U.  S.  Infantry  therefore  strongly 
suggests  (1)  that  whenever  white  men  are  put  in  command  of 
Negro  troops  they  should  be  of  that  high  intellectual  and  moral 
caliber  that  will  enable  them  to  appreciate,  bring  forth,  and  develop 
the  best  that  is  in  the  colored  men  of  their  command;  and  (2)  that 
Negro  officers  are  more  and  more  demonstrating  their  fitness  and 
capacity  to  command  men  of  their  own  race. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

RECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH" 

The  Glorious  Story  of  the  369th  United  States  Infantry,  Formerly 
of  the  New  York  National  Guard — The  Regiment  That  Never 
Lost  a  Man  Captured,  a  Trench,  or  a  Foot  of  Ground — First 
Negro  Troops  to  Go  into  Action  in  France. 

The  first  effort  to  organize  a  colored  National  Guard  regiment 
in  New  York  City  was  sponsored  by  Charles  W.  Fillmore,  a  colored 
citizen,  who  afterwards  was  commissioned  a  Captain  in  the  "15th" 
by  Col.  Hayward.  The  effort  to  secure  proper  approval  of  such 
a  regiment  was  more  or  less  abortive  until  Gov.  Charles  S.  Whit- 
man, following  the  gallant  fight  of  Negro  troops  of  the  Tenth 
Cavalry  against  Mexican  bandits  at  Carrizal,  authorized  the  project 
and  named  Col.  William  Hayward,  then  Public  Service  Commis- 
sioner, to  supervise  the  task  of  recruiting  an  organization.  It  was 
found  that  there  were  more  than  two  hundred  Negro  residents  of 
the  city  who  had  seen  service  in  the  regular  army,  or  in  the  militia 
of  other  states.  With  these  as  a  nucleus  the  work  of  recruiting 
began  on  June  29,  1916. 

By  the  first  of  October,  ten  companies  of  sixty-five  men  each 
had  been  formed,  and  the  regiment  was  then  recognized  by  the 
State  and  given  its  colors.  By  April  8,  1917,  the  regiment  had 
reached  peace  strength,  with  1,378  men,  and  was  recognized  by  the 
Federal  Government.  Two  weeks  later  the  organization  was 
authorized  to  recruit  to  war  strength.  The  600  men  needed  were 
recruited  in  five  days  after  the  applicants  had  been  subjected  to  a 
physical  examination  more  stringent  than  that  given  in  the  regiilar 
army.  The  first  battalion  of  four  companies  was  recniited  in 
Manhattan;  the  second  battalion  was  composed  of  Brooklyn  men, 
and  the  third  of  men  from  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx.  "There  is 
no  better  soldier  material  in  the  world,"  said  Col.  Hay^vard,  fol- 
lowing the  organization  of  the  regiment.  "Given  the  propef 
training,  these  men  will  be  the  equal  of  any  soldiers  in  the  world.** 

197 


198  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Col.  Hayward  in  a  personal  memorandum  to  the  author  sub- 
mitted the  following  diary  of  dates  in  the  history  of  the  15th  New 
York,  which  afterwards  became  the  369th  Infantry  prior  to  its 
going  overseas: 

''July  15,  1918,  mobilized  at  various  halls  and  meeting  places 
where  regiment  was  recruited  and  went  to  Camp  Whitman,  near 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  for  muster-in  to  United  States  service; 

"August  2,  Machine  Gun  Company  sent  to  Ellis  Island  to 
guard  German  spies  and  internes; 

"Two  companies — 1st  Battalion,  Harrison,  N.  J.,  for  guard 
duty  on  Jersey  railroads  and  certain  essential  factories. 

"One  company — 1st  Battalion,  guarded  tunnels  and  bridges 
New  Y^ork  Central  and  other  railroads  from  New  York  City  to  the 
Adirondack  Mountains  in  small  detachments; 

"One  company,  in  and  around  New  York  City,  including  guard 
duty  on  seized  Gennan  ships; 

"Second  Battalion,  less  one  company,  pioneered  Camp  Upton. 

"Fourth  company,  on  guard  over  lona  Island  near  West  Point 
and  Bear  Mountain; 

"Third  Battalion,  pioneered   Camp  Dix. 

"First  week  in  October,  Regimental  Headquarters,  2nd  and 
3rd  Battalions,  Headquarters  and  Supply  Companies  to  Camp 
Wadsworth,  Spartanburg. 

"October  12,  assembled  and  secretly  transported  at  9  to  10 
A.  M.  via  Fifth  avenue  busses  and  elevated  railroads  and  on  foot 
in  various  parts  of  New  York  City  to  dock  at  95th  street  and  East 
Elver,  and  transported  to  Hoboken.  Embarked  on  transport 
"Hoboken."  Second  day  at  sea  ship  broke  down  and  limped  back 
to  Hoboken.     Eegiment  moved  to  Camp  Merritt. 

"October  23,  back  to  Hoboken  to  sail  October  27.  Owing  to 
incomplete  equipment,  unable  to  sail  and  battalions  stationed  at 
Camp  Mills,  Park  Avenue  Armory,  Van  Cortlandt  Park,  2nd  Field 
Armory  and  other  armories  in  New  York  City. 

"November  12,  moved  secretly  with  colors  cased  and  drums 
forbidden  to  play,  at  10  A.  M.  by  train  to  Hoboken  and  marched 
through  the  principal  street  to  transport  "Pocahontas"  at  Pier  3. 
Ship  on  fire  and  regiment  remained  on  board,  sailing  again 
December  3. 


RECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH"  199 

** December  4,  collision  at  sea; 

** December  5,  regiment  repaired  ship; 

''December  27,  landed  at  Brest.     Right  side  up." 

In  sending  the  diary,  Col.  Hayward  adds  the  following  sig- 
nificant statement: 

**We  had  no  wrecks,  no  fires,  no  explosions,  no  escaped  pris- 
oners during  our  tour,  prior  to  sailing.  Gen.  Hoyle,  Commanding 
General  Eastern  Department,  said  ours  was  the  only  regiment, 
regular  or  national  guard,  on  this  duty  against  which  no  complaint 
had  been  filed  by  civilians  or  others." 

Training  the  Regiment 

Training  the  men  presented  some  difficulty.  At  first  they 
were  drilled  in  Lafayette  Hall,  132nd  street  and  Seventh  avenue, 
New  York  City.  But  the  place  was  altogether  too  small  and  many 
of  the  fifty  squads  which  drilled  nightly  had  to  take  to  the  streets 
to  carry  out  the  maneuvers  of  their  drill  sergeants.  Later  they 
went  for  three  weeks  to  Camp  Whitman.  An  announced  plan  to 
send  the  regiment  to  train  at  Camp  Wadsworth,  Spartanburg,  S.  C, 
caused  a  stonn  of  protest  from  the  citizens  of  the  South  Carolina 
town. 

*'The  most  tragic  consequences,"  they  insisted,  *' would  follow 
the  introduction  of  the  New  York  Negro  with  his  Northern  ideas 
into  the  community  life  of  Spartanburg."  The  Spartanburg 
Chamber  of  Commerce  drafted  resolutions  protesting  against  the 
training  of  Negro  troops  at  Camp  Wadsworth,  which  were  sent  to 
New  York  State  officials.  The  resolutions,  however,  had  less 
weight  than  the  exigencies  of  war  and,  early  in  October,  the  15th 
Negro  Infantry  detrained  at  Camp  Wadsworth.  The  '*  tragic  con- 
sequences" did  not  materialize.  Certain  stores  refused  to  serve 
Negro  customers  and  were,  in  turn,  boycotted  by  the  white  soldiers, 
but  the  chief  result  of  the  Fifteenth's  visit  to  Spartanburg  was  an 
increased  respect  in  some  measure,  at  least,  for  the  black  soldier. 

While  at  Spartanburg  the  regiment  was  supplied  with  the 
latest  things  in  trench  shoes,  heavy  underwear,  and  other  over- 
seas supplies.  This  led  the  men  to  expect  immediate  transfer 
overseas.  They  were,  indeed,  ordered  overseas,  but  as  Colonel 
Hayward 's    memorandum    quoted    above    indicates,    the    regiment 


200  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

made  three  distinct  starts  for  France  before  it  finally  got  away 
from  America.  The  accident  that  caused  the  first  turning  back 
occurred  when  still  in  sight  of  the  Narrows.  The  vessel  was  dis- 
abled by  a  bent  piston  rod  and  had  to  put  back  to  the  Brooklyn 
Navy  Yard  for  repairs.  Four  days  later  the  ship  put  out  again, 
only  to  halt  when  fire  was  found  in  the  reserve  coal  bunker. 
Putting  back  to  Hoboken,  the  sorely  tried  Fifteenth  counted  the 
hours  until  a  new  transport  could  be  obtained.  Hours  became 
days,  and  days  weeks,  but  still  no  other  ship  offered. 

Delayed  by  Storm  and  Collision 

Finally,  on  December  3,  1917,  the  Navy  Department  notified 
the  transport's  commander  to  put  to  sea.  But  while  the  pier 
lines  were  being  cast  off  a  storm  started  to  blow  up,  and  by  the 
time  the  ** Pocahontas" — nameless  at  the  time — reached  the  outer 
bay,  the  greatest  blizzard  of  the  year  was  raging.  Clouds  of  snow, 
through  which  nothing  could  be  seen,  forced  the  ''Pocahontas"  to 
drop  anchor.  She  had  hardly  done  so  when  a  huge  hulk,  appearing 
suddenly  through  the  murk,  bore  down  upon  the  transport's  bow 
and  cut  a  ten-foot  hole  in  her  side.  Then  the  stoim  abated  in  the 
bay,  but  a  new  one  arose  beloAv  decks,  where  3,000-odd  exasperated 
soldiers  were  maintaining  their  belief  that  no  such  place  as  France 
existed.  The  captain  of  the  transport  was  for  turning  back  again 
to  the  Navy  Y^ard.  The  hole  was  above  the  water-line,  he  admitted, 
and  there  was  no  great  danger  impending  as  a  result  of  the 
collision,  he  said.  Nevertheless  there  would  be  an  inquiry,  and  it 
was  necessary  that  he  be  present  to  state  his  case. 

'*I  can  see  no  reason  for  turning  back  except  that  of  fear," 
said  Col.  Hayward  to  the  ciiptain.  The  captain  did  not  turn  back. 
There  was  an  ambulance  assembly  unit  on  board  with  electric 
drills.  Ten  hours,  it  was  said,  would  suffice  to  make  sufficient 
repairs  to  enable  the  vessel  to  proceed.  The  bent  plates  were 
drilled  out  and  double  planking  erected  in  their  place.  Concrete 
was  then  poured  between  the  planks.  The  result  was  not  elegant, 
but  the  ship  was  water-tight  and  best  of  all,  still  bound  for  France. 

Brest  was  reached  on  December  27  without  incident  except  for 
an  epidemic  of  German  measles  which  attacked  the  crew  of  the 


RECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH"  201 

transport,  but  which  was  escaped  by  nearly  all  officers  and  men 
of  tlie  Fifteenth. 

From  Brest  the  regiment  was  transferred  to  St.  Nazaire, 
where  the  troops  were  put  to  work  constnicting  a  huge  railroad 
yard,  building  roads,  and  unloading  shii3s.  The  fact  of  being  in 
the  country  *' where  the  war  is"  helped  the  impatient  soldiers  to 
endure  their  lot  for  awhile,  but  before  long  there  was  a  general 
feeling  that  "while  stevedoring  may  be  all  right,  it  is  not  war," 
and  the  officers  were  besieged  with  apologetic  and  respectful 
queries,  "When  do  we  fight?" 

Guarding  German  Prisoners 

The  answer  was  assumed  to  have  been  supplied  when,  early 
in  January,  the  Third  Battalion  was  ordered  to  Colquidan,  in 
Brittany,  where  there  was  a  big  American  artillery  camp.  It 
turned  out,  however,  that  peace  was  still  longer  to  bear  down 
upon  the  spirits  of  the  Fifteenth.  At  Colquidan^  they  found,  as 
well  as  an  American  artillery  camp,  there  was  also  a  large  German 
prison  camp,  and  it  was  for  the  purpose  of  g-uarding  this  camp 
that  their  services  were  required. 

Three  weeks  passed,  and  then  the  Third  Battalion  received 
orders  to  join  the  rest  of  the  regiment  at  Givry-en-Argonne,  there 
to  be  formally  transferred  to  the  French  high  command  and  to  be 
Icnown  as  the  369th  Regiment  d'Infanterie  Etats  Unis  (United 
States  Infantry).  Actual  fighting  was  still  afar  off,  it  seemed  to 
the  soldiers,  for  they  were  put  to  training  under  French  officers. 
One  hundred  and  twenty  picked  men  and  a  number  of  officers 
were  sent  to  the  French  Divisional  Training  School,  where  they 
were  taught  to  use  the  French  arms,  including  grenades,  French 
bayonets,  rifles  and  machine  g-uns.  Upon  the  completion  of  the 
course  others  of  the  former  Fifteenth  were  sent  to  take  this 
training. 

They  proved  apt  pupils.  In  grenade-throwing  they  easily  out- 
did their  instructors,  and  in  bayonet  work  they  demonstrated 
great  skill.  They  surprised  the  French,  also,  with  the  manner  in 
which  they  acquired  the  French  language.  Many  of  them  were 
talking  quite  fluently  after  a  week  with  their  French  comrades.  It 
turned  out,  however,  that  many  of  the  soldiers  hailed  from  Louis- 


202  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

iana,  and  that  their  new  environment  merely  had  revived  for- 
gotten memories  of  the  French  language. 

In  May  the  regiment  went  to  the  Main  de  Massiges,  a  part  of 
the  French  line  which  offered  the  greatest  danger  as  well  as  the 
greatest  opportunity  for  training  in  trench  warfare  and  raiding. 
A  small  number  of  the  Fifteenth's  men  were  sent  with  each  French 
company,  with  instructions  to  observe  all  regulations  and 
familiarize  themselves  with  the  tactics  of  the  French.  The  French 
**poilus"  were  delighted  with  their  colored  comrades  and  soon 
sought  to  teach  them  all  they  knew. 

After  two  weeks'  experience  obtained  in  the  manner  described, 
the  369th  was  sent  into  action  in  the  Bois  d'Hauze,  Champagne, 
where  the  regiment,  unassisted  by  the  French,  held  a  complete 
sector,  which  in  length  constituted  20  per  cent  of  all  territory  held 
by  American  troops  at  the  time.  In  this  action,  which  lasted  until 
July  4,  1918,  when  the  colored  soldiers,  their  ranks  thinned  by  the 
deadly  German  fire  and  completely  worn  out,  were  relieved  by  the 
4th  French  Chasseurs-a-pied. 

Fighting  Ability  Recognized 

By  this  time  the  fighting  effectiveness  of  the  Negro  troops 
from  New  York  was  recognized  by  the  high  command,  and  after 
resting  behind  the  lines  for  a  few  weeks  they  were  transferred  and 
placed  in  the  path  of  the  expected  German  offensive  at  Minancourt, 
near  Butte  de  Mesnil,  where  they  bore  the  bnint  of  the  German 
attacks  of  July  15  and  thereafter.  Against  the  enemy  in  this 
action  the  old  Fifteenth  was  completely  successful,  holding  against 
the  German  fire,  repelling  German  attacks  and  by  counter-attacks 
becoming  possessed  of  the  front  line  German  trenches. 

At  the  end  of  July  the  regiment,  after  a  three  days'  march  to 
the  rear,  went  into  training  for  open  warfare,  but  had  hardly 
started  work  when  a  hurry  call  was  sent  to  them  to  take  over  the 
same  place  in  the  line  which  they  had  left  a  few  days  before. 
Motor  lorries  were  impressed  and  the  New  York  soldiers  hastened 
back  to  the  front,  arriving  in  time  to  assist  in  repelling  the  most 
violent  German  attacks. 

During  the  action  which  followed  it  was  the  policy  of  the 
French  strategists  to  retreat  from  the  lines  then  held,  after  having 


EECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH"  203 

*' gassed"  all  the  dug-outs.  The  advancing  Germans  thereupon 
were  met  with  such  heavy  shell  fire  that  they  were  forced  into  the 
underground  shelters  and  so  fell  by  the  hundreds,  victims  of  the 
noxious  fumes  released  by  the  French. 

The  men  of  the  369th,  advancing  again  after  this  defeat  of 
the  enemy,  found  enough  Mauser  rifles  lying  beside  the  dead  Ger- 
mans to  equip  an  entire  brigade.  Finding  the  German  Mauser  to 
resemble  the  Springfield  formerly  used  by  the  American  troops  and 
preferring  it  to  the  French  weapon  furnished  them,  the  men  of 
the  Fifteenth  promptly  adopted  the  captured  rifle,  and  it  was  with 
considerable  difficulty  that  the  French  equipment  was  finally 
restored  to  them. 

Wins  the  Croix  de  Guerre 

Early  in  September  the  men  of  the  369th  were  Transferred 
from  the  16th  French  Division,  in  which  they  had  been  serving, 
and  made  an  integral  part  of  the  161st  French  Division.  And  then, 
on  the  morning  of  September  26th,  they  joined  with  the  Moroccans 
on  the  left  and  native  French  on  the  right  in  the  offensive  which 
won  for  the  entire  regiment  the  French  Croix  de  Guerre  and  the 
citation  of  171  individual  officers  and  enlisted  men  for  the  Croix 
de  Guerre  and  the  Legion  of  Honor,  for  exceptional  gallantry  in 
action.  The  action  began  at  Maison-en-Champagne ;  it  finished 
seven  kilometers  northward  and  eastward  and  over  the  intervening 
territory  the  Germans  had  retreated  before  the  ferocious  attacks 
of  the  Fifteenth  and  its  French  comrades. 

A  month  later  a  new  honor  came  to  the  regiment — ^the  honor 
of  being  the  first  unit  of  all  the  Allied  armies  to  reach  the  Eiver 
Rhine.  The  regiment  had  left  its  trenches  at  Thann,  Sunday, 
November  17,  and,  marching  as  the  advance  guard  of  the  161st 
Division,  Second  French  Army,  reached  Blodelsheim,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Rhine,  Monday,  November  18.  The  369th  is  proud  of 
this  achievement.  It  believes  also  that  it  was  under  fire  for  a 
greater  number  of  days  than  any  other  American  regiment.  Its 
historian  will  record: 

That  the  regiment  never  lost  a  man  captured,  a  trench,  or  a 
foot  of  ground;  that  it  was  the  only  unit  in  the  American  Expedi- 
tionary Force  which  bore  a  State  name  and  carried  a  State  flag; 


204  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

that  it  was  never  in  an  American  brigade  or  division;  that  it  saw 
the  first  and  the  longest  service  of  any  American  regiment  as  part 
of  a  foreign  army ;  and  that  it  had  less  training  than  any  American 
unit  before  going  into  action. 

Letter  from  Colonel  Hayward 

A  highly  significant  letter  written  by  Col.  Hayward  to  the 
author  shortly  after  the  369th  reached  France  and  went  into 
training  may  be  quoted: 

'^Deae  Scott: 

*'Am  writing  this  from  away  up  on  the  French  front  where  the 
'Fighting  Fifteenth,'  now  the  369th  U.  S.,  is  really  fighting  in  a 
French  iSivision.  We  are  known  to  the  French  as  369  E.  I.  M.  S. 
and  our  Secteur  Postal  is  No.  54,  France. 

**I  have  two  battalions  in  the  trenches  of  the  first  line  and  the 
third  in  relief  at  rest  just  behind  our  trenches.  The  three  rotate. 
Our  boys  have  had  their  baptism  of  fire.  They  have  patrolled  No 
Man's  Land.  They  have  gone  on  raids  and  one  of  my  lieutenants, 
has  been  cited  for  a  decoration.  Of  course,  it  is  still  in  the  experi- 
mental stage,  but  two  questions  of  the  gravest  importance  to  our 
country  and  to  your  race  have,  in  my  opinion,  been  answered. 

' '  First :  How  will  American  Negro  soldiers,  including  commis- 
sioned officers  (of  whom  I  still  have  five),  get  along  in  service  with 
French  soldiers  and  officers — as  for  instance  a  Negro  regiment  of 
infantry  serving  in  a  French  combat  division? 

''Second:  Will  the  American  Negro  stand  up  under  the  terri- 
ble shell  fire  of  this  w^ar  as  he  has  always  stood  under  rifle  fire  and 
thus  prove  his  superiority,  spiritually  and  intellectually,  to  all  the 
black  men  of  Africa  and  Asia,  who  have  failed  under  these  conditions 
and  whose  use  must  be  limited  to  attack  or  for  shock  troops? 

"We  have  answered  the  first  question  in  a  most  gratifying 
way.  The  French  soldiers  have  not  the  slightest  prejudice  or  feel- 
ing. The  poilus  and  my  boys  are  great  chums,  eat,  dance,  sing, 
march  and  fight  together  in  absolute  accord.  The  French  officers 
have  little,  if  any  feeling  about  Negro  officers.  What  little,  if  any, 
is  not  racial  but  from  skepticism  that  a  colored  man  (judging  of 
course  by  those  they  have  known)  can  have  the  technical  education 
necessary  to  make  an  efficient  officer.     However,  as  I  write  these 


RECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH"  205 

lines,  Capt.  Napoleon  Bonaparte  Marshall  and  Lieut.  D.  Lincoln 
Reed  are  living  at  the  French  Officers'  Mess  at  our  division  Infan- 
terie  School,  honored  guests. 

''The  program  I  enclose  gives  you  an  idea  of  the  way  I've  cul- 
tivated friendship  between  my  boys  and  the  poilus.  You  should 
have  seen  the  500  soldiers,  French  and  mine,  all  mixed  up  together, 
cheering  and  laughing  at  the  show  arranged  while  the  Boche  shells 
(boxcar  size)  went  screaming  over  our  heads. 

''Now,  on  the  second  question,  perhaps  I  am  premature.  But 
both  my  two  battalions  which  have  gone  in  have  been  under  shell 
fire,  serious  and  prolonged  once,  and  the  boys  just  laughed  and  cud- 
dled into  their  shelter  and  read  old  newspapers.  French  company 
got  shelled  and  it  was  getting  very  warm  around  the  rolling  kitchen. 
The  cooks  went  along  about  their  business  in  absolute  unconcern 
until  the  alarmed  French  soldiers  ran  to  them  and  told  them  to  beat 
it.  One  of  the  cooks  said,  'Oh,  that's  all  right,  boss.  They  ain't 
hurting  us  none.'  They  are  positively  the  most  stoical  and  mys- 
terious men  I've  ever  knowii.  Nothing  surprises  them.  And 
we  now  have  expert  opinion.  The  French  officers  say  they  are 
entirely  different  from  their  own  African  troops  and  the  Indian 
troops  of  the  British,  who  are  so  excitable  under  shell  fire.  Of* 
course,  I  have  explained  that  my  boys  are  public  school  boys,  wise 
in  their  day  and  generation,  no  caste  prejudice,  accustomed  to  the 
terrible  noises  of  the  subway,  elevated  and  street  traffic  of  New 
York  City  (which  would  drive  any  desert  man  or  Himalaya  moun- 
taineer mad)  and  are  all  Christians.  Also,  that  while  the  more  igno- 
rant ones  might  not  like  to  have  a  black  cat  hanging  around  for  fear 
it  would  turn  into  a  fish  or  something,  they  have  no  delusions  about 
the  Boche  shells  coming  from  any  Heathen  Gods.     They  know  the 

d child-killing  Germans  are  firing  at  them  with  pyrocellulose  and 

they  know  how  the  breech  mechanism  works. 

"I  am  very  proud  of  what  we've  done  and  are  doing.  I  put  the 
whole  regiment  through  grenade  (live  grenade)  practice.  Nasty, 
dangerous  business.  They  did  it  beautifully.  I  found  one  rank 
arrant  coward,  who  refused  to  throw.  Said  he  couldn't.  Another 
threw  prematurely  after  igniting  the  bomb.  We  asked  him  why  he 
did  not  wait  for  the  command  to  throw  (barrage).  He  said,  'Kun- 
nel,  that  old  grenade,  she  begun  to  swell  right  in  my  hand.'    The 


206  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

boys  keep  writing  home  that  the  'war  is  not  so  bad  if  you  just  go 
at  it  right.'  Well,  a  very  ^vise  command  somewhere,  I  don't  know 
where,  has  let  us  go  at  it  right.  You  know  I've  always  told  these 
boys  I'd  never  send  them  anywhere  I  would  not  go  myself,  so  I  went 
first  to  the  trenches,  prowled  around,  saw  it  all  and  came  back  to 
the  regiment  to  take  in  the  battalion  which  was  to  go  in  first.  When 
they  saw  me  covered  with  mud,  but  safe  and  sound  they  said,  'How 
is  she,  Kunnel?'  'She's  all  right,'  I  said.  They  all  laughed  and 
then  the  sick  and  the  lame  of  that  battalion  began  to  get  well  mirac- 
ulously and  begged  to  go.  Captain  Clark  called  for  twelve  volun- 
teers for  a  raid  and  the  company  fell  in  to  the  last  man — all  wanted 
to  go,  and  he  had  to  pick  his  twelve  after  all. 

"Do  you  wonder  that  I  love  them,  every  one,  good,  bad  and 
indifferent  ? 

"Personally  I  am  well,  strong,  and  the  happiest  man  in  the 
world.  I've  learned  more  about  the  military  game,  at  least  the 
fighting  of  this  war,  since  I  have  been  here  with  the  French  than  I 
learned  in  all  the  years  as  drummer  boy,  private.  Sergeant,  Cap- 
tain, Major  and  Colonel  Second  Nebraska  Infantry,  Spanish  War, 
Maneuvers,  Officers'  School,  Gettysburg  and  Leavenworth  prob- 
lems, etc.,  etc.,  and  all  the  time  I  spent  with  my  present  regiment  in 
the  New  York  National  Guard. 

"And  another  thing,  I  believe  I  know  more  about  Negro  soldiers 
and  how  to  handle  them,  especially  the  problem  of  Negro  and  white 
officers,  than  any  other  man  living  today.  Of  course,  the  other  regi- 
ment I  commanded  for  three  years  was  a  white  regiment,  so  I  had 
a  lot  to  learn,  but  I've  learned  it  and  I  wouldn't  trade  back  now. 

"Suppose  after  I've  held  my  sector  up  here  by  blood  and  iron 
two  or  three  months,  some  National  Guard  Brigadier,  who  has  just 
arrived  in  France,  vn.\\  come  along  and  point  out  all  the  mistakes 
I've  made  and  tell  me  just  how  to  do  it.  Well,  'C'est  la  guerre/  as 
we  French  say. 

"Brother  Boche  doesn't  know  who  we  are  yet,  as  none  of  my 
men  have  been  captured  so  far,  and  the  boys  wear  a  French  blue 
uniform  when  they  go  on  raids.  I've  been  thinking  if  they  capture 
one  of  my  Porto  Ricans  (of  whom  I  have  a  few)  in  the  uniform  of 
a  Normandy  French  regiment  and  this  black  man  tells  them  in  Span- 
ish that  he  is  an  American  soldier  in  a  New  York  National  Guard 


RECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIPTEEXTH"  207 

regiment,  it's  going  to  give  the  German  intelligence  department  a 
headaclie  trying  to  figure  it  out. 

"We  are  proud  to  think  our  boys  were  the  first  Negro  American 
soldiers  in  the  trenches.  Jim  Europe  was  certainly  the  first  Negro 
officer  in.  You  can  imagine  how  important  he  feels!  In  addition 
to  the  personal  gratification  at  having  done  well  as  a  regiment  I 
feel  it  has  been  a  tremendously  important  experiment,  when  one 
considers  the  hosts  of  colored  men  who  must  come  after  us.  I  wish 
I  had  a  brigade,  yes,  a  division  or  a  corps  of  them.  We'd  make  his- 
tory and  plant  the  hob-nailed  boots  of  the  'Heavy  Ethiopian  Foot' 
in  the  Kaiser's  face  all  right. 

**We  were  so  disappointed  that  the  Secretary  didn't  get  up  to 
Bee  us.  The  town  we  were  holding  then  had  been  named  by  me 
'Bakerville'  and  it  is  so  on  our  maps. 

**  Regards  and  good  wishes  to  you. 

"Sincerely, 

''William  Hayward. " 

Called  "Hell  Fighters"  by  the  Enemy 

The  men  of  the  369th  came  to  be  known  among  the  French 
and  the  Germans  as  "Hell  Fighters."  The  regiment  participated 
in  the  action  which  followed  the  German  offensive  on  the  15th  of 
July,  1918,  when  the  Germans  were  reinforced  by  released  pris- 
oners from  Eussia,  so  that  they  then  had  their  maximum  forces. 
They  had  broken  through  the  British  line  and  disaster  was  at  hand. 
This  was  east  of  Rheims.  The  Germans  had  also  torn  through 
the  French  at  Montdidier  and  had  gone  through  for  30  or  40 
kilometers. 

During  the  191  days  that  the  regiment  was  in  the  trenches 
there  were  weeks  in  that  immediate  sector  when  there  was  nothing 
between  the  German  army  and  Paris  but  these  black  men  from 
America.  It  was  through  the  action  of  the  men  of  the  369th  in 
capturing  German  prisoners  on  the  night  of  July  14  that  the 
expected  Geraian  attack  was  leanied.  When  the  French  found 
out  that  the  great  German  offensive  was  coming,  their  forces 
did  not  remain  a  thin  blue  line.  Gen.  Gouraud,  who  commanded 
the  Fourth  French  Army,  took  his  troops  out  of  the  front  line 
trenches  over  a  front  of  50  kilometers,  and  when  the  attack  oo- 


208  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

curred  lac  had  the  369th  on  one  flank  of  a  50-kilometer  line  and  the 
old  69th  New  York,  a  part  of  the  Rainbow  Division,  on  the  other. 
"VMien  the  German  fire  fell  on  these  front  line  trenches  for  five 
hours  and  twenty  minutes,  the  shells  fell  on  empty  trenches  except 
for  a  few  patrols  left  in  reinforced  trenches  with  signal  rockets, 
gas  shells,  and  a  few  machine  guns.  When  the  hour  for  the  German 
infantry  attack  came,  these  patrols  let  off  their  gas  bombs  and 
signal  rockets  and  the  massed  allied  artillery  let  loose  on  the 
m.assed  Germans,  who  were  literally  smashed  and  never  got 
through  to  the  second  line  of  the  369th.  On  the  other  end  they 
did  get  through,  crashing  into  the  Rainbow  Division  and  the  old 
C9th  New  York,  v/hich  met  them  hand-to-hand  in  some  of  the  most 
terrible  fighting  of  the  war. 

Individual  Exploits  of  the  369th 

There  are  many  outstanding  exploits  of  the  men  of  the  369th 
and  of  Col.  Hayward  himself.  In  Belleau  Wood  on  June  6,  1918, 
the  regiment  came  up  to  the  German  front  lines  where  it  met  a 
very  heavy  counter-attack.  Some  one  suggested  that  they  turn 
back.  ''Turn  back?  I  should  say  we  won't.  We  are  going 
through  there  or  we  don't  come  back,"  was  what  Colonel  Hayward 
said  as  he  tore  off  the  eagles  of  his  insignia,  grabbed  a  gun  from  a 
soldier,  and  darted  out  ahead  of  the  rest  of  Company  ''K,"  which 
went  through  a  barrage  of  German  artillery  that  was  bearing  down 
upon  it.  A  French  General  ordered  the  regiment  to  retire,  but 
Colonel  Hayward,  who,  of  course,  was  under  direct  command  of 
this  French  General  said:     ''I  do  not  understand  you." 

Then  the  French  General  raised  his  arms  above  his  head  and 
cried : 

''Retire!    Retire!" 

And  then  Colonel  Hayward,  with  his  hat  knocked  oif,  came 
running  up  and  cried:  "My  men  never  retire.  They  go  forward, 
or  they  die!" 

A  Prussian  officer  captured  by  the  "Black  Watch,"  as  the 
369tli  was  called  after  they  had  reached  the  Rhine,  is  said  to  have 
remarked:  "We  can't  hold  up  against  these  men.  They  are 
devils!    They  smile  while  they  kill  and  they  won't  be  taken  alive." 

The  regiment  was  eleven  times  cited  for  bravery  in  action,  and 


RECORD  OF  ''THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH"  209 

Colonel  Hay  ward  himself  received  a  citation,  reading:  "Colonel 
Haywnrd,  though  wounded,  insisted  on  leading  his  regiment  in 
battle." 

Following  is  the  citation  awarded  the  369th  for  its  courage 
and  valor  in  the  great  offensive  in  the  Champagne,  September  and 
October,  1918,  by  the  French  Commanding  General: 

CITATION  ro«  CROIX  .>e  GUERRE 


AWARDED 

369s  RfiGIMENT  d'INFANTERIE  U.  S. 

(formerly  1 5'*'  N.  y.  ini-antry) 

FOR  ITS   OPERATIONS   AS   A   COMBAT  UNIT  OF   A    FRENCH 
DIVISION    IN  THE  GREAT   OFFENSIVE  IN 

CHAMPAGNE,  SEPT.  and  OCT.  1918, 

BY    THE   FRENCH    COMMANDING    GENERAL 


Sou's  le  Commaiidenient  du  Colonel  HAYIVARD  qui,  bien  que  hlessf,  a 
tetiii  a  conduire  son  rlf;iimnt  au  combat,  dii  Lieutenant  Colonel.  PICKERING, 
admirable  de  sang-froid  et  dc  courage,  du  Cannnandant  COBB  (tiie),  du  Comman- 
dant SPENCER  (grievement  bkssf),  du  Commandant  LITTLE  veritable  entraincur 
d'homvus,  k  )6<)'  R.  I.  U*  S.  qui  lors.'  des  attaques  de  Septend're  i^iS,  voyait  le 
feu  pour  la  premiere  fois,  s'est  e'mpare  de  puissantes  oi-gauisations  enneniies,  inergique- 

ment  difendues  et  a  etila'i  de  haute  lutte  le  village  de  S ,  a  fait-  des 

prisonniers,  rameni  6  canons  et  un  grand  nomln-e  de  milrailleuies. 

TRANSLATION 

Under  command  of  Colonel  HA  YWARD,  who,  though  injured,  insisted  on 
leading  his  regiment  in  the  battle,  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  PICKERING,  admirably 
cool  and  brave,  of  Major  COBB,  (killed),  of  Major  SPENCER  (grievously  wounded), 
of  Major  LITTLE,  a  true  leader  of  men,-  the  }(><f^  R.  I.  U.  S.  engaging  in  an 
offensive  Jor  the  first    time  in  the- drive  of  September,  i^ iS,  stormed  pcnverful  enemy 

positions  energetically  defended,  took,  after-  heavy  fighting,  the  town  of  S , 

captured  prisoners  and  brought  back  six  cautions,  and  a  great  number  of  nuichine  guns. 

A  typical  story  of  the  dare-devil  courage  of  the  men  of  the 
369th  is  afforded  in  the  exploit  of  Elmer  McCowin  of  Company 


210  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

**K,"  who  won  the  Distinguished  Service  Cross.  He  tells  his  own 
story  as  follows:  "On  September  26  the  Captain  asked  me  to 
carry  despatches.  The  Germans  pumped  machine-gun  bullets  at 
me  all  the  way.  But  I  made  the  trip  and  back  safely.  Then  I  was 
sent  out  again.  As  I  started  with  the  message  the  Captain  yelled 
to  bring  him  back  a  can  of  coffee.  He  was  joking,  but  I  didn't 
know  it  at  the  time. 

'*  Being  a  foot  messenger,  I  had  some  time  ducking  those 
German  bullets.  Those  bullets  seemed  very  sociable,  but  I  didn't 
care  to  meet  up  with  them,  so  I  kept  right  on  traveling  on  high 
gear.    None  touched  my  skin,  though  some  skinned  pretty  close. 

"On  the  way  back  it  seemed  the  whole  war  was  turned  on  me. 
One  bullet  passed  through  my  trousers  and  it  made  me  hop,  step, 
and  jump  pretty  lively.  I  saw  a  shell  hole  six  feet  deep.  Take  it 
from  me,  I  dented  another  six  feet  when  I  plunged  into  it  hard. 
In  my  fist  I  held  the  Captain's  can  of  coffee. 

"When  I  climbed  out  of  the  shell  hole  and  started  running 
again,  a  bullet  clipped  a  hole  in  the  can  and  the  coffee  started  to 
spill.  But  I  turned  around,  stopped  a  second,  looked  the  Kaiser 
in  the  face,  and  held  up  the  can  of  coffee  with  my  finger  plugging 
up  the  hole  to  show  the  Germans  they  were  fooled.  Just  then 
another  bullet  hit  the  can  and  another  finger  had  to  act  as  a 
stopgap. 

"It  must  have  been  good  luck  that  saved  my  life,  because 
bullets  were  picking  at  my  clothes  and  so  many  hit  the  can  that 
at  the  end  all  my  fingers  were  hugging  it  to  keep  the  coffee  in. 
I  jumped  into  shell  holes,  wriggled  along  the  ground,  and  got  back 
safely.  And  what  do  you  think  I  When  I  got  back  into  our  own 
trenches  I  stumbled  and  spilled  the  coffee!" 

Not  only  did  Lieut.  George  Miller,  Battalion  Adjutant,  confirm 
the  story,  but  he  added  about  Private  McCowin:  "When  that 
soldier  came  back  with  the  coffee  his  clothes  were  riddled  with 
bullets.  Yet  half  an  hour  later  he  went  back  into  No-Man 's-Land 
and  brought  back  a  number  of  wounded  until  he  was  badly  gassed. 
Even  then  he  refused  to  go  to  the  rear  and  went  out  again  for  a 
wounded  soldier.  All  this  under  fire.  That's  the  reason  he  got 
the  D.  S.  C." 

Corporal  Elmer  Earl,  also  of  Company  "K,"  living  at  Middle- 


RECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH"  211 

town,  New  York,  also  won  the  Distinguished  Service  Cross.  He 
explained:  *'We  had  taken  a  hill  September  26  in  the  Argonne. 
We  came  to  the  edge  of  a  swamp,  when  enemy  machine  guns 
opened  fire.  It  was  so  bad  that  of  the  fifty-eight  of  us  who  went 
into  a  particular  strip,  only  eight  came  out  without  being  killed 
or  wounded.  I  made  a  number  of  trips  out  there  and  brought  back 
about  a  dozen  wounded  men." 

How  Sergeant  Butler  Won  the  D.  S.  C. 

On  authority  of  General  Pershing,  Colonel  Hayward  himself 
presented  the  Distinguished  Service  Crosses  to  the  heroes  among 
his  regiment.  Then,  from  the  hands  of  General  Collardet,  of  the 
French  Army,  he  received  the  medal  of  the  Legion  of  Honor.  But 
even  among  this  list  of  distinguished  heroes  those  who  knew  of  the 
exploits  of  Sergeant  ''Bill"  Butler  insisted  upon  calling  for  him 
and  making  him  the  object  of  their  attentions. 

It  was  on  the  night  of  August  12,  1918,  while  the  fighting 
was  raging  in  the  Champagne  District,  that  Sergeant  Butler's 
opportunity  came  to  him.  A  German  raiding  party  had  rushed 
the  American  trenches  and,  after  firing  a  few  shots  and  making 
murderous  use  of  the  short  trench  knives  and  clubs  carried  for 
such  encounters,  had  captured  five  privates  and  a  lieutenant.  The 
victorious  raiders  were  making  their  way  back  to  their  own 
trenches  when  Butler,  occupying  a  lone  position  in  a  forward  post, 
saw  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  the  party  to  pass  him. 

The  Negro  sergeant  waited  until  the  Germans  were  close  to 
his  post,  then  opened  fire  upon  them  with  his  automatic  rifle.  He 
kept  the  stream  of  lead  upon  the  raiders  until  ten  of  their  number 
had  been  killed.  Then  he  went  forth  and  took  the  German  lieu- 
tenant, who  was  slightly  wounded,  a  prisoner,  released  the  Amer- 
ican lieutenant  and  five  other  prisoners,  and  returned  to  the 
American  lines  with  his  prisoner  and  the  rescued  party. 

Under  the  heading,  ''Trenton  Has  Nothing  on  Salisbury,*' 
The  Afro-American  of  Baltimore  said:  "Trenton,  New  Jersey,  may 
have  her  Needham  Roberts,  but  it  takes  Salisbury,  Maryland,  to 
produce  a  William  Butler.  Roberts  had  his  comrade,  Henry  John- 
son, to  help  him  in  repulsing  a  raiding  party  of  Germans,  but 
Butler  took  care  of  a  German  lieutenant  and  squad  of  Boches  all 


212  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

by  himself.  Herbert  Corey,  a  white  newspaper  correspondent,  in 
telling  of  the  incident  said  that  Butler  came  'a-roaring  and  fogging' 
through  the  darkness  with  his  automatic,  and  'nobody  knows  how 
many  Germans  he  killed.'  It  was  for  this  that  General  Pershing 
awarded  him  the  Distinguished  Service  Cross  recently  and  the 
citation  read:  'Sergt.  William  Butler,  Company  L,  369th  Infantry 
(A.  S.  No.  104464).  For  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  near 
Maison  de  Champagne,  France,  August  18,  1918.  Sergeant  Butler 
broke  up  a  German  raiding  party  which  had  succeeded  in  entering 
our  trenches  and  capturing  some  of  our  men.  With  an  automatic 
rifle  he  killed  four  of  the  raiding  party  and  captured  or  put  to 
flight  the  remainder  of  the  invaders.  Home  address,  Mrs.  Jennie 
Butler,  Water  Street,  Salisbury,  Marjdand.' 

**The  rest  of  the  State  of  Maryland  and  the  whole  United 
States  now  has  its  hat  off  to  Butler  of  Salisbury." 

And  the  Neiv  York  Tribune,  on  April  28,  1919,  said:  ''  'Bill' 
Butler,  a  slight,  good-natured  colored  youth,  who  until  two  years 
ago  was  a  jack-of-all-trades  in  a  little  Maryland  town,  yesterday 
came  into  his  own  as  a  hero  among  heroes.  More  than  5,000 
men  and  women  arose  to  their  feet  in  City  College  stadium  and 
cheered  themselves  hoarse  while  representatives  of  two  Govern- 
ments pinned  their  highest  medals  upon  the  breast  of  the  nervous 
youth.  Sergeant  Butler  was  one  of  a  list  of  twenty-three  members 
of  the  famous  15th  Eegiment  upon  whom  both  France  and  the 
United  States  conferred  medals  of  honor  because  of  extraordinary 
heroism  on  European  battlefields.  But  by  common  consent  his 
name  comes  first  on  the  list — a  list  that  was  made  up  only  after  a 
careful  comparison  of  the  deeds  of  gallantly  that  finally  resulted 
in  the  breaking  of  the  Hun  lines." 

Won  the  Cheers  of  the  French 

Of  the  369th  it  may  be  stated  that  although  the  Germans  never 
captured  a  single  man,  they  killed  nearly  200  of  them  and  wounded 
more  than  800  others,  but  on  the  other  side  of  the  score  were  to  be 
found  more  than  400  Germans  captured  by  the  Tliird  Battalion  of 
the  369th  alone,  and  countless  men  of  the  enemy  killed  and  wounded. 

It  proved  itself  to  be  one  of  the  most  efficient  military  units 
of  all   the   Allied   forces.     The   officers   and  men   were   constantly 


RECORD  OF  "THE  OLD  FIFTEENTH' '  213 

cheered  by  the  gratitude  of  the  French,  who  never  failed  to  place 
in  evidence  their  appreciation  for  the  wonderful  fighting  prowess 
of  the  men  of  the  369th.  The  Frencli  were  amazed  not  only  at  the 
proficiency  of  the  men  as  soldiers  but  at  their  proficiency  in  laying 
railroad  tracks,  which  was  the  first  duty  assigned  them  near  one 
of  the  larger  French  ports.  The  369th  laid  many  stretches  of 
track,  pushed  them  into  alignment,  gave  twists  to  the  bolts,  and 
proceeded  half  a  mile  farther  down  to  repeat  the  performance. 
''Magnifique!"  exclaimed  a  party  of  French  officers  who  watched 
them  do  the  work. 

The  story  of  the  wanderings  of  ''the  old  15th,"  of  its  hard 
fighting  in  France,  of  its  returning  to  America,  and  of  the  trium- 
phant procession  through  the  streets  of  New  York  City,  down  Fifth 
Avenue,  is  one  of  the  proudest  possessions  of  the  Negro  race  and 
of  American  arms. 

Five  colored  officers  went  over  with  the  369th  Regiment. 
These  officers  were  afterwards  transferred  to  the  92nd  Division. 
Considerable  criticism  followed  the  transfer  of  these  colored  offi- 
cers from  a  colored  regiment  which  had  won  such  renown  as  the 
369th.  Col.  Hayward,  however,  gave  the  following  as  reason  for 
the  transfer: 

"In  August,  1918,  the  American  Expeditionary  Force  adopted 
the  policy  of  having  either  all  white  or  all  colored  officers  with 
Negro  regiments,  and  so  ours  were  shifted  away  (though  Lieut. 
Europe  later  was  returned  to  us  as  bandmaster,  whereas  he  had 
been  in  the  machine  gun  force  before).  Our  colored  officers  were 
in  the  July  fighting  and  did  good  work,  and  I  felt  then  and  feel 
now,  that  if  colored  officers  are  available  and  capable,  they,  and 
not  white  officers,  should  command  colored  troops.  I  hope,  if  the 
Fifteenth  is  reconstructed,  as  it  should  be,  colored  men  will  have 
the  active  work  of  officering  it,  from  top  to  bottom. 

''There  is  splendid  material  there.  I  sent  away  forty-two 
sergeants  in  France  who  were  commissioned  officers  in  other  units. 
I  would  have  sent  others,  but  they  declared  they'd  rather  be 
sergeants  in  the  Fifteenth  than  lieutenants  or  captains  in  other 
regiments." 


CHAPTER  XV 

"THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS" 

Story  of  the  370th  U.  S.  Infantry — Another  Negro  National  Guard 
Regiment  That  Won  Distinction  on  the  Battlefield — Chicago's 
Colored  Fighters — Called  "Black  Devils"  hy  tlve  Germans  and 
"Partridges"  hy  the  French  Because  of  Their  Proud  Bear- 
ing— First  American  Troops  to  March  into  the  Fortified  City 
of  Laon — Their  Stubborn  Resistance  at  the  Oise-Aisne  Canal. 

The  Eighth  Illinois  National  Guard  Regiment,  which  during 
the  great  war  came  to  be  kno^Ti  as  the  370th  U.  S.  Infantry,  was 
the  only  regiment  in  the  entire  United  States  Army  that  was  called 
into  service  with  almost  a  complete  complement  of  colored  officers 
from  the  highest  rank  of  Colonel  to  the  lowest  rank  of  Corporal. 
Having  been  brigaded  with  French  troops  and  given  every  oppor- 
tunity to  get  into  the  thickest  of  the  fray  and  to  demonstrate  their 
bravery,  ability,  and  solidarity  as  fighting  men,  the  brilliant  record 
made  by  this  regiment  effectually  served  to  answer  the  question 
as  to  whether  colored  soldiers  would  follow  colored  officers  into 
battle. 

Below  w^U  be  found  the  record  of  events  of  the  370th  U.  S. 
Infantry  (formerly  8th  Illinois  Infantry)  from  July  25,  1917,  the 
date  of  responding  to  the  call  of  the  President,  to  March  11,  1919, 
the  date  of  demobilization  of  the  regiment. 

Pursuant  to  the  call  of  the  President,  dated  July  3,  1917,  the 
regiment  reported  at  the  various  rendezvous  on  July  25,  1917,  as 
follows : 

At  Chicago,  Illinois — Headquarters,  Headquarters  Company, 
Machine  Gun  Company,  Supply  Company,  Detachment  Medical 
Department,  and  Companies  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G  and  H. 

At  Springfield,  Illinois — Company  I. 

At  Peoria,  Illinois — Company  K. 

At  Danville,  Illinois — Company  L. 

At  Metropolis,  Illinois — Company  M. 

214 


''THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS"  215 

On  the  date  of  responding  to  tlie  call,  the  Field  and  Staff  was 
as  follows: 

Colonel  Franklin  A.   Denison,  commanding  the  regiment. 

Lt.  Col.  James  H.  Johnson,  duty  with  the  regiment. 

Major  Eufus  M.  Stokes,  commanding  the  1st  Battalion. 

Major  Charles  L.  Hunt,  commanding  the  2nd  Battalion. 

ifajor  Otis  B.  Duncan,  commanding  the  3rd  Battalion. 

Captain  John  H.  Patton,  Eegimental  Adjutant. 

On  August  18,  1917,  Company  G  proceeded  to  Camp  Logan, 
Houston,  Texas,  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  camp  for  the  arrival 
of  the  remainder  of  the  regiment.  This  company  was  present  at 
Camp  Logan  during  the  riot  in  Houston  which  involved  certain 
colored  soldiers  of  the  24th  Infantry,  U.  S.  A.,  in  the  latter  part 
of  August,  1917,  and  was  commended  by  the  public,  the  press,  and 
military  authorities  for  its  conduct  and  general  bearing. 

At  the  end  of  October,  1917,  on  the  date  of  the  closing  of  the 
Second  Liberty  Loan  campaign,  out  of  a  total  of  2,1G6  officers  and 
enlisted  men,  belonging  to  the  regiment  at  that  time,  1,482  officers 
and  men  subscribed  $151,400.00  to  the  Second  Liberty  Loan.  Ap- 
proximately 96  per  cent  of  the  regiment  took  out  $10,000.00  War 
Risk  Insurance. 

There  was  some  question  in  military  circles  as  to  whether  or 
not  this  regiment  should  be  sent  overseas,  to  meet  the  Huns  with 
its  colored  Colonel  and  a  full  complement  of  colored  officers;  but 
the  splendid  way  in  which  Colonel  Denison  had  handled  his  men 
and  maintained  discipline  at  Camp  Logan,  and  at  Camp  Stuart 
(Newport  News,  Virginia),  proved  to  the  "War  Department  that  he 
was  every  inch  a  man,  that  he  was  an  intelligent  and  experienced 
soldier,  and  a  competent  officer  who  knew  how  to  command  and  to 
guard  the  interests  of  his  regiment.  It  is  especially  pertinent  to 
refer  to  the  discussion  as  to  whether  this  regiment  should  be  sent 
overseas  with  a  colored  commanding  officer  and  its  entire  colored 
officers'  personnel,  because,  at  that  time,  Colonel  Charles  Young, 
the  veteran  colored  officer,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  who  had 
given  the  best  years  of  his  life  to  the  United  States  Regular  Army, 
had  been  retired  from  active  duty  on  the  strength  of  a  report 
submitted  by  a  Medical  Board  of  Examiners,  before  which  he  was 
called,   and   who   decided   that   he   was   physically   disqualified   to 


216  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

lead  a  regiment  of  colored  soldiers  on  the  battlefields  of  France. 
Such  service  was  not  only  Colonel  Young's  fer\^ent  desire,  but  it 
was  the  equally  fervent  hope  of  colored  Americans  that  he  would 
be  permitted  to  do  so. 

The  morale  of  the  colored  people  was,  therefore,  very  much  de- 
pressed by  the  retirement  of  Colonel  Charles  Young  over  his  earnest 
protest  and  the  protest  of  his  legion  of  friends.  Negro  newspapers, 
reflecting  the  sentiment  and  desire  of  the  Negro  people,  urged  that  he 
be  not  only  retained  and  actively  utilized  as  an  officer  of  the  National 
Army,  but  that  he  be  given  what  they  believed  to  be  his  rightful  re- 
ward— namely,  promotion  in  rank  to  at  least  that  of  a  Brigadier- 
General.  The  futility  of  these  requests  and  protests,  and  the  failure 
of  repeated  efforts  to  have  the  findings  of  the  Medical  Board  which 
passed  upon  Colonel  Young's  case  reviewed,  and  set  aside,  so  that  he 
could  be  placed  in  active  command  of  a  Negro  regimental  unit,  gave 
rise  to  suspicions  of  unfair  play  and  disturbed  the  morale  of  colored 
Americans  generally.  For  another  colored  Colonel  to  be  denied 
active  service  would  have  further  dampened  the  morale  of  the 
colored  people,  especially  in  view  of  the  openly  expressed  feeling 
on  their  part  that  the  highest  ranking  Negro  officer  in  the  United 
States  Eegular  Army  had  been  unjustly  denied  active  service  in 
the  world's  greatest  war  and  had  been  likewise  deprived  of  pro- 
motion to  the  next  ranlv  above  him — that  of  Brigadier-General — 
which  he  would  have  automatically  received  upon  being  called  to 
active  duty. 

Colonel  Denison,  however,  proceeded  overseas  with  his  regi- 
ment, which  was  the  first  American  regiraent  to  set  foot  upon  the 
soil  of  Alsace-Lorraine — territory  that  had  for  nearly  fifty  years 
been  wrongfully  held  under  German  domination. 

Equipped  with  French  Arms 

After  about  six  weeks'  training  under  French  instructors,  the 
regiment  was  considered  sufficiently  trained  to  go  into  the  lines,  and 
on  June  12  and  13,  1918,  pursuant  to  Ordre  Particiilier  No.  30, 
Headquarters  10th  Division,  French  Army,  dated  June  11,  1918, 
the  regiAent  marched  to  Morvillars  (Haut-Rhin),  entrained  and 
proceeded  to  Ligny-en-Barrois  (Meuse),  detrained  and  marched  to 
stations  as  follows:     Headquarters,  Headquarters  Company,  Sup- 


"THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS"  217 

ply  Company,  and  the  1st  Battalion  at  Nancois-le-Petit  (Meuse) ; 
the  2nd  Battalion  and  Company  K  (Depot  Company)  at  Trouville 
(Meuse);  the  3rd  Battalion  at  Velaines  (Mense). 

The  French  instructors  referred  to  were  needed  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  the  men  of  the  370th  Infantry,  when  they  arrived  at 
Grandvillars,  were  relieved  of  all  of  their  American  equipment, 
with  which  they  had  been  trained  at  home,  and  were  re-equipped 
with  French  arms  and  equipment  exclusively,  including  French 
rifles,  pistols,  helmets,  machine  guns,  horses,  wagons,  and  even 
French  rations,  which  consisted  of  food  sufficient  for  about  two 
meals  per  day,  while  the  American  ration  had  provided  for  three 
meals  per  day.  But  in  spite  of  difficulties  arising  from  difference 
in  languages,  the  issuing  of  French  arms,  ammunition  and  other 
equipment,  and  the  French  ration,  which  was  considered  insufficient, 
the  regiment  made  rapid  progress. 

In  the  St.  Mihiel  Sector 

On  June  21,  1918,  the  regiment  began  occupying  a  sub-sector, 
Han-Bislee,  St.  Mihiel  sector.  This  being  the  first  time  the  regi- 
ment had  occupied  positions  in  the  line,  it  was  deemed  advisable 
by  the  Division  Commander  to  intermingle  the  370th  with  French 
troops,  in  order  that  officers  and  men  might  obser^^e  and  profit 
by  close  association  with  veteran  French  troops.  Thus,  the  1st 
and  2nd  Battalions,  commanded  by  Majors  Rufus  M.  Stokes  and 
Charles  L.  Hunt  respectively,  were  intermingled  with  platoons  and 
companies  of  the  French  battalions.  Except  for  occasional  shell- 
ing and  rifle  and  machine  gun  fire  of  the  enemy,  nothing  of  interest 
occurred  while  in  the  sector,  and  there  were  no  casualties. 

On  the  night  of  July  3-4,  1918,  the  regiment  was  withdrawn 
from  the  St.  Mihiel  sector,  marched  to  Loxeville,  and  entrained 
for  the  Argonne  Forest.  Various  positions  were  occupied  in  the 
Argonne  until  August  16,  1918.  The  particular  sector  occupied  by 
the  370th  Infantry  was  exceptionally  quiet  at  that  time,  except  on 
one  or  two  occasions.  In  this  position  the  regiment  suffered  its 
first  casualty,  namely,  Private  Robert  E.  Lee  of  diicago.  Company 
E,  Machine  Gun  Company  No.  2.  It  is  highly  encouraging  to  note 
the  fact  that  General  Mittlehauser,  the  French  general  in  conunand 


218  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  the  entire  division,  altliough  burdened  with  important  official 
duties,  found  time  to  attend  in  perso^  the  funeral  of  this  brave 
Negro  soldier,  who  was  buried  with  every  military  honor. 

^^ile  in  this  sector,  a  portion  of  the  regiment  engaged  in 
its  first  offensive  encounter  with  the  enemy.  The  Stokes  mortar 
platoon,  under  the  command  of  First  Lieutenant  Robert  A.  Ward, 
took  part  in  a  ''coup  de  main"  (raid),  on  August  4,  1918,  having 
as  its  mission  the  filling-in  of  the  gaps  in  the  French  artillery  bar- 
rage. For  his  work  during  this  raid  Lieutenant  Ward  and  his 
platoon  were  highly  commended  by  General  Mittlehauser. 

On  August  16,  1918,  the  370th  was  relieved  from  its  position 
in  the  Argonne  Forest  and  sent  for  rest  behind  the  lines  near 
Bar-le-Duc.  On  September  1,  the  regiment  again  began  to  move 
toward  the  front  lines,  and  by  easy  stages,  proceeded  to  positions 
in  the  Soissons  sector.  On  September  16  Companies  G,  H,  I,  and  L 
were  pushed  forward  to  positions  in  front  of  Mont  des  Signes, 
and  from  that  date  to  September  21  took  part  in  the  various  bat- 
tles and  engagements  incident  to  the  capture  of  this  exceptionally 
strong  enemy  position. 

One  platoon  of  Company  F,  under  command  of  Sergeant 
Matthew  Jenkins,  especially  distinguished  itself  by  capturing  a 
large  section  of  the  enemy  works,  tunning  their  own  guns  on  them 
and  holding  the  position  for  thirty-six  hours  without  food  or 
water,  until  assistance  came  and  the  position  was  strengthened. 
For  this  meritorious  work  in  this  engagement  Sergeant  Jenkins 
received  both  the  American  Distinguished  Service  Cross  and  the 
French  Croix  de  Guerre. 

Company  F  was  relieved  on  September  21,  spending  the  night 
at  Antioche  Farm  and  proceeding  to  Mont  des  Tombes  (Aisne)  the 
following  day  and  taking  position  in  reserve;  Company  G  was 
relieved  on  September  21,  1918,  and  proceeded  to  the  caves  near 
Les  Tueries  (Aisne) ;  Companies  I  and  L  were  relieved  on  Sep- 
tember 22, 1918,  and  proceeded  to  Antioche  Farm  and  Tincelle  Farm, 
respectively,  and  placed  in  reserve.  From  September  19  to  21, 
the  organizations  not  engaged  in  the  front  lines  were  employed 
in  constructing  defensive  works  between  Antioche  Farm  and 
Vauxaillon. 


"THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS"  219 

Takes  Over  a  Full  Sector 

Prior  to  September  21,  the  regiment  had  never  occupied  a  full 
regimental  sector,  the  companies  and  battalions  having  been  there- 
tofore attached  to  various  French  units  of  the  59th  Division.  Pur- 
suant to  Order  187/S,  Headquarters  59th  Division,  French  Army, 
dated  September  21,  the  regiment  for  the  first  time  took  over  a  full 
regimental  sector.  The  1st  Battalion  relieved  the  Battalion  Gar- 
nier  of  the  325th  Regiment  of  Infantry,  French  Army,  in  the  posi- 
tions outlined  by  La  Folie-l'Ecluse  on  the  Oise-Aisne  Canal  and 
the  Farm  Guilliminet.  The  2nd  Battalion  went  into  the  support 
position  at  Mont  des  Tombes  and  Les  Tueries,  and  the  slopes 
west  of  Antioche  Farm.  The  3rd  Battalion  went  into  reserve  at 
Tincelle  Farm.  The  Headquarters  Company  was  stationed  at 
Levilly  and  the  Supply  Company  at  Monte  Couve. 

On  September  25  Company  K  (Depot  Company)  changed  sta- 
tion from  Duvy  (Aisne)  to  Resson  le  Long  (Aisne).  On  the  night 
of  September  26-27  the  2nd  Battalion,  commanded  by  Captain  John 
H.  Patton,  was  ordered  to  relieve  with  like  units  one-half  of  each 
of  the  companies  of  the  1st  Battalion  in  the  lines.  The  relief  was 
completed  about  2:00  a.  m.  An  attack  along  the  Oise-Aisne  Canal 
was  ordered  at  dawn  on  September  27,  1918,  By  extreme  effort 
the  remainder  of  the  2nd  Battalion  was  brought  up  to  the  front, 
relieved  the  remainder  of  the  1st  Battalion,  commanded  by  Major 
Rufus  M.  Stokes,  and  the  attack  began  as  ordered.  The  attack 
continued  from  the  morning  of  September  27  until  October  4. 
The  2nd  Battalion  was  relieved  by  the  1st  Battalion  after  having 
gained  possession  of  the  railroad  track  and  woods  to  the  northeast 
of  Guilliminet  Farm. 

On  September  30  the  3rd  Battalion,  commanded  by  Lieut. 
Colonel  0.  B.  Duncan,  was  ordered  to  make  an  attack  with  the 
Ferme  de  la  Riviere  as  the  principal  objective,  and  about  3 :00  p.  m. 
on  that  date  the  attack  began.  The  fighting  in  front  of  the  Bois  de 
Mortier,  which  woods  the  enemy  held  strongly,  continued  and  it 
was  not  until  October  4  that  it  was  certain  that  the  enemy  had 
been  driven  across  the  canal. 

From  the  27th  of  September  to  the  4th  of  October  the  370th 
was  subjected  to  severe  shelling  and  to  murderous  fire  of  numerous 
machine  guns  and  rifles.    After  the  2nd  Battalion  was  relieved  by 


220  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTOEY 

the  1st  Battalion  on  October  17,  Company  G  of  the  2ncl  Battalion 
supported  the  1st  Battalion  until  October  3,  1918.  During  this 
time  patrols  from  the  2nd  and  3rd  Battalions  were  out  between  the 
lines  night  and  day,  making  effort  to  locate  machine-gun  nests  in 
the  Bois  de  Mortier  and  making  other  necessary  reconnaissances. 

On  October  4,  just  before  dawn,  a  reconnaissance  in  the  Bois 
de  Mortier  was  ordered.  As  the  enemy  strongly  held  the  woods, 
a  patrol  consisting  of  volunteers  was  ordered  to  make  the  recon- 
naissance. Captain  Chester  Sanders  and  the  necessary  20  men 
readily  volunteered  and  at  3:30  a.  m.  crossed  the  canal  and  pene- 
trated into  the  woods  about  50  meters  east  of  the  Vauxaillon-Bois 
de  Mortier  Eoad,  more  than  a  hundred  meters  within  the  enemy 
lines.  When  reaching  this  point  they  were  discovered  by  the 
enemy  and  were  fired  on  by  numerous  machine  guns.  The  mission 
of  the  patrol  being  to  discover  whether  the  woods  had  been  aban- 
doned by  the  enemy,  the  patrol  retired  to  the  French  lines  under 
heavy  machine  gun  fire  and  shelling  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 

October  4,  1918,  pursuant  to  Order  No.  330/S,  Headquarters 
59th  Division,  French  Army,  the  1st  Battalion  was  ordered  to 
make  the  following  dispositions:  Company  A  sent  to  the  325th 
Regiment  of  Infantry,  French  Army ;  Company  B  sent  to  the  232nd 
Regiment  of  Infantry,  French  Army.  These  companies  to  be  used 
as  reinforcements  for  those  regiments.  October  6,  1918,  General 
Vincendon,  commanding  the  division,  went  on  leave  and  General 
Rondeau  assumed  command. 

October  7,  1918,  at  4:30  a.  m.,  after  five  minutes'  violent  bom- 
bardment by  the  French  artillery,  three  raiding  parties  started 
into  the  triangle  formed  by  the  Oise-Aisne  Canal,  the  railroad,  and 
the  Vauxaillon-Bois  de  Mortier  road.  The  mission  of  these  raid- 
ing parties  was  to  capture  prisoners.  One  of  these  parties  undei 
command  of  1st  Lieutenant  Elisha  C.  Lane  entered  the  triangle, 
gained  the  trenches  along  the  south  bank  of  the  canal  and  ejected 
the  enemy  after  a  hand-grenade  fight,  Lieut.  Lane  and  two  enlisted 
men  being  wounded.  This  party  was  unable  to  hold  this  trench 
on  account  of  its  being  exposed  to  enfilade  fire  from  two  directions. 
The  other  two  patrols  established  themselves  along  the  railroad  and 
sent  small  patrols  into  the  triangle,  but  were  unable  to  establish 
themselves  therein.    No  prisoners  were  captured. 


"THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS"  221 

During  the  night  of  October  7-8  Company  C  of  the  1st  Bat- 
talion relieved  Company  F  of  the  2nd  Battalion  in  the  lines  near 
I'Ecluse.  Company  C  continued  the  effort  made  by  Company  F 
to  establish  themselves  in  the  above  mentioned  triangle,  but  were 
unable  to  do  so  for  the  same  reasons  that  prevented  Company  F 
from  remaining  therein.  On  October  10  the  remainder  of  the  1st 
Battalion  moved  up  into  the  front  lines,  relieving  the  rest  of  the 
2nd  Battalion,  and  the  units  of  the  3rd  Battalion  in  the  lines  along 
the  Oise-Aisne  Canal  in  front  of  the  Bois  de  Mortier.  The  2nd 
Battalion  went  into  reserve  at  Antioche  Farm  and  the  3rd  Bat- 
talion went  into  division  reserve  at  Mont  des  Tombes. 

Pushing  the  Enemy  Back 

A  general  advance  having  been  foreseen,  Order  No.  1978/3  of 
the  Division  provided  that  after  the  objective,  the  Laon-La  Ferre 
Railroad,  was  reached,  the  Division  would  be  relieved  by  the  33rd 
Division,  French  Army,  and  sent  into  the  reserve  for  rest.  The 
alarm  for  the  advance  was  given  at  9:40  a.  m.,  on  October  12, 
and  the  various  units  of  the  regiment  proceeded  to  the  Zones  of 
Assembly  previously  assigned.  The  1st  Battalion  was  given  the 
mission  of  clearing  the  Bois  de  Mortier,  The  2nd  Battalion  was 
placed  at  the  disposition  of  Lieut.-Colonel  Lugand  of  the  232nd 
Infantry,  French  Army.  Company  F  and  one  section  of  Company 
E  (Machine  Gun  Company  No.  2),  were  detached  from  the  2nd 
Battalion  and  sent  to  join  the  Battalion  Garnier  of  the  325th 
Regiment  of  Infantry,  which  had  as  its  mission  the  mopping  up  of 
the  hills  and  woods  from  near  Anizy-le-Chateau  to  a  point  near 
Crepy.  One  company  of  the  325th  Regiment  of  Infantry,  French 
Army,  was  attached  to  the  2nd  Battalion  to  replace  Company  F. 
The  3rd  Battalion  was  assigned  as  reserve  of  the  division,  the 
command  of  which  was  assigned  to  Colonel  T.  A.  Roberts. 

Soon  after  the  alert  was  given,  the  pursuit  began.  The  1st 
Battalion  advanced  through  the  Bois  de  Mortier  and  successfully 
reached  the  first  objective,  Penancourt,  on  the  same  date.  The  2nd 
Battalion  began  the  pursuit  on  the  morning  of  October  13,  having 
been  assigned  as  the  support  battalion  of  the  232nd  Infantry,  and 
passed  Anizy-le-Chateau,  the  Farm  Fontenille,  Tervanne,  Ces- 
sieres,  and  Butte  de  Sevresis,  and  bivouacked  at  dark  with  the  head 


222  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  the  battalion  resting  at  the  north  edge  of  the  Bois  d'Oiry  and 
the  rear  on  the  National  Road. 

On  October  13  the  1st  Battalion  continued  the  pursuit  via 
Cessieres  to  a  point  to  the  west  of  Molinchart.  The  3rd  Battalion 
rested  in  the  Bois  de  Mortier  the  night  of  October  12,  and  next 
day  went  to  Manneux  Farm.  For  the  work  done  in  this  general 
advance,  the  1st  and  2nd  Battalions  were  complimented  by  the 
Commanding  General — the  1st  for  its  passage  of  the  exceedingly 
strong  position  in  the  Bois  de  Mortier,  and  the  2nd  for  a  well- 
conducted  march  in  pursuit  via  Anizy-le-Chateau. 

The  regimental  P.  C.  moved  up  to  Cessieres  and  late  in  the 
night  of  October  13  the  division  was  ordered  into  rest  for  twelve 
days.  The  first  ten  days  were  spent  in  hard  work  on  the  roads, 
but  the  last  two  were  given  over  to  the  issue  of  badly  needed 
clothing  and  equipment.  These  twelve  days  found  the  regiment  at 
the  following  places:  Regimental  Headquarters  at  Susy;  1st  and 
2nd  Battalions  in  the  St.  Gobain  Forest  near  Le  Cateau;  the  3rd 
Battalion  at  Manneux  Farm.  By  Order  No.  4442,  Headquarters  59th 
Division,  French  Army,  dated  October  16,  1918,  the  General  Com- 
manding the  division  thanked  the  Colonel  of  the  370th  Infantry 
for  the  good  work  done  by  the  regiment  in  aiding  the  Engineers 
in  the  repair  of  roads  and  the  cleaning  of  villages  in  the  devastated 
districts. 

On  October  19,  1918,  Major  Rufus  M.  Stokes  was  relieved  from 
command  of  the  1st  Battalion  and  Captain  John  T.  Prout  assigned 
to  command  the  battalion,  Major  Stokes  being  assigned  to  the 
Supply  Company  as  administrative  officer. 

On  October  27  the  regiment  was  again  ordered  into  the  lines, 
and  pursuant  to  Ordre  de  Mouvement  No.  30,  I.  D.  59th  Division, 
French  Army,  the  2nd  Battalion  during  the  night  of  October  27 
proceeded  to  Farms  d'Allemagne  and  de  Cordeau.  On  the  follow- 
ing night,  October  28,  the  2nd  Battalion  proceeded  to  a  position  in 
support  to  the  northeast  of  Grandloup,  remaining  in  various 
positions  near  Grandloup  until  November  5.  Except  occasional 
shelling  and  some  machine  gun  fire  on  the  support  positions,  noth- 
ing of  interest  occurred  to  the  2nd  Battalion  while  in  position 
near  Grandloup. 

On  October  29  f}i&  1st  Battalion  left  camp  in  the  St.  Gobain 


"THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS"  223 

Forest  and  proceeded  to  Cliambry,  rested  for  the  night,  and  on  the 
following  day,  October  30,  moved  up  into  the  support  position  about 
one  kilometer  to  the  northwest  of  Grandloup.  On  November  1 
Eegimental  Headquarters  moved  up  to  Chambry. 

On  November  2  the  1st  Battalion  was  moved  to  new  positions 
with  a  view  to  the  defense  of  Grandloup  in  case  of  enemy  attack, 
Companies  B  and  C  taking  position  in  the  open  trenches  to  the 
southwest  of  Grandloup  and  Company  A  to  the  southeast  of  the 
village.  On  November  3,  an  enemy  shell  struck  in  the  mess  line 
of  Company  A,  at  the  Farm  Chantnid,  killing  35  men  and  wounding 
41,  making  it  necessaiy  to  withdraw  this  company  from  the  lines. 
On  November  4,  Company  C  of  the  1st  Battalion  relieved  a  com- 
pany of  the  325th  Regiment  of  Infantry  in  the  front  lines  in  the 
vicinity  of  Brazicourt  Farm.  The  positions  of  the  1st  and  2nd 
Battalions  received  severe  intermittent  shelling  while  in  these  posi- 
tions. 

Further  Pursuit  of  the  Enemy 

On  November  5,  the  enemy  began  again  to  retreat  and  the 
pursuit  reconmienced  and  continued  until  November  11,  1918,  the 
date  of  the  signing  of  the  armistice. 

On  November  5  the  2nd  Battalion,  commanded  by  Capt.  John 
H.  Patton,  moved  out  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy  via  Farm  Atten- 
court,  Autremontcourt,  and  bivouacked  in  the  woods  north  of 
Ernecourt  Farm  for  the  night.  The  position  was  shelled  inter- 
mittently during  the  entire  night.  At  6:00  a.  m.  the  following  day, 
in  a  heavy  rain,  the  pursuit  was  again  taken  up,  the  battalion  pro- 
ceeding to  the  Farm  Bellimont,  arriving  at  about  11:00  p.  m.,  and 
resting  until  6:00  a.  m.  the  following  morning,  November  7,  at 
which  time  the  battalion  moved  out  and  proceeded  to  Longue  Rue 
de  Bas,  arriving  about  9 :30  p.  m.  At  3 :30  a.  m.  the  battalion  pro- 
ceeded to  Beaume,  arriving  at  5:30  a.  m.,  and  reporting  to  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Lugand,  232nd  (French)  Regiment  of  Infantry. 
An  attack  was  ordered  at  6:30  a.  m.  by  the  division.  The  2nd 
Battalion  occupied  a  position  on  the  left  of  the  division  with  the 
68th  Regiment  of  Infantry  on  the  left.  At  6 :30  a.  m.  the  battalion 
moved  out  to  the  attack.  The  first  operation,  crossing  the  River 
Thon,  was  successfully  accomplished,  and  the  battalion  continued 
the  attack  eastward  towards  Aubenton  for  about  one  and  one-half 


224  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

kilometers,  pushing  the  enemy  back  as  it  went.  The  enemy,  fighting 
a  rearguard  action,  had  located  nmnerous  machine  guns  to  the  south 
of  Leuze  and  along  the  heights  stretching  in  the  direction  of  Auben- 
ton.  The  68th  (French)  Regiment  of  Infantry,  on  the  left,  did 
not  advance  as  anticipated,  thus  exposing  Company  H  to  an 
enfilade  fire  from  machine  guns  located  to  the  south  of  Leuze, 
and  the  company  suffered  severely.  About  11 :40  a.  m.  the  advance 
was  ordered  stopped  and  preparation  made  for  another  attack, 
which  began  at  2:00  p.  m.  and  continued  until  dark,  at  which  time 
the  battalion  had  reached  its  objective,  the  Hirson-Mezieres  Rail- 
road. Casualties  during  the  day,  4  killed  and  2  officers  and  33 
enlisted  men  wounded.  On  the  morning  of  November  9  the  advance 
began  again  and  the  battalion  continued  the  pursuit  until  dark, 
when  it  occupied  positions  from  Goncelin,  the  advance  outpost,  to 
the  woods  northeast  of  Tarzy.  On  November  10  the  battalion  re- 
ceived orders  to  continue  the  pursuit  with  La  Verte  Place,  Bel- 
gium, as  the  objective. 

The  French  military  officials,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  official 
communication  which  follows,  always  called  the  battalion  by  the 
name  of  the  battalion  commander.  Thus  the  2nd  Battalion,  just 
referred  to,  commanded  by  Capt.  John  H.  Patton  of  Chicago, 
Illinois,  was  termed  ^'the  Battalion  Patton." 

232nd  regiment  d'infantrie 
(Translated) 
FROM:    Lieut.  Colonel  Lugand. 
TO:  Captain  John  H.  Patton.  November  7,  1918. 

1.  ORDER  OF  OPERATIONS  FOR  THE  JOURNEY  OF  THE  8TH. 
In  the  morning  of  the  8th,  the  59th  Division  will  attack  as  follows : 

First  Operation:  Passage  of  the  River  Thon,  occupation  by  the  ad- 
vanced lines  of  the  line  Bas-Val-la-Caure  to  Lallayette. 

2.  The  6th  Battalion  of  the  232nd  Infantry  and  the  Battalion  Patton 
will  turn  off  at  Aubenton  towards  the  Northwest.  The  325th  Infantry  will 
occupy  Aubenton,     On  the  left  the  68th  Infantry  will  attack  Leuze. 

3.  Axis  of  the  march  of  the  232nd  Infantry  Le  Four  a  Chaux,  Hill 
246,  Fligny. 

4.  Limit  of  the  left  of  Battalion  Patton,  Bas-Val-la-Caure,  Lisiere, 
south  of  Mattin  Rieux. 

5.  Formation — 

On  the  right  the  6th  Battalion  of  the  232nd  Infantry  will  form  an 


'♦THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS"  225 

advance  guard  "in  echelon"  in  rear  of  the  left  of  the  Battalion  Patton, 
having  two  companies  in  the  first  line,  one  company  in  the  second  line.  The 
company  on  the  right  of  the  first  line  will  march  on  the  "axis  of  the 
riiarch"  of  the  regiment,  so  as  to  be  600  meters  from  the  company  on  the 
left  of  the  6th  Battalion,  Battalion  Patton  will  attack  on  the  left  of  the 
232nd  each  time  the  enemy  resists  during  the  forward  movement. 

6.  The  movement  will  commence  at  6:30  a.  m. 

7.  Battalion  Patton  will  maintain  "liaison"  (keep  in  touch)  with  the 
6th  Battalion  on  his  right  and  with  the  68th  Infantry  on  his  left. 

8.  The  Command  Post  of  the  Colonel  will  be  at  Beaume, 

(Signed)      Lugand. 

On  November  6  the  1st  Battalion  received  orders  to  take  up 
the  pursuit  in  support  of  the  Battalion  Michel  of  the  325th  Regi- 
ment of  Infantry,  and  proceeded  to  Hill  150,  near  St.  Pierremont, 
via  Brazicourt,  Vesles-et-Caumont,  Rapiere.  The  Battalion  P.  C. 
was  stationed  on  the  road  to  Marie  and  this  road  was  shelled  in- 
termittently during  the  night.  On  November  7  the  battalion  con- 
tinued the  pursuit,  advancing  through  St.  Pierremont,  Taveaux-et- 
Pontsericourt  to  Maison  De  Garde,  south  of  Nampcelles.  At  Val 
St.  Pierre,  Company  C  of  the  battalion,  commanded  by  Captain 
James  H.  Smith,  by  a  series  of  flanking  operations,  drove  the 
enemy  from  a  position  they  occupied  with  three  field  pieces  (77's) 
and  two  machine  guns,  causing  them  to  abandon  the  cannon,  which 
were  taken  by  Company  C.  The  enemy  left  several  dead  on  the 
field  and  evidently  had  defended  the  position  to  the  last.  For  this 
action.  Company  C  was  decorated  with  the  French  Croix  de  Guerre. 
On  November  8,  the  battalion  was  ordered  to  Camp  at  LaHayette. 
On  November  9  the  command  advanced  to  Mont  Plaisir.  On  No- 
vember 10  the  battalion  moved  south  to  a  position  at  Farm  La- 
Hayette. On  November  11  it  proceeded  to  Fliguy,  at  which  place 
it  was  found  at  the  signing  of  the  armistice  at  11:00  a.  m.  on  No- 
vember 11,  1918. 

On  November  5  the  3rd  Battalion  began  the  pursuit  and  rested 
in  the  open  field  at  night  on  the  5th  and  6th.  On  November  7 
the  battalion  moved  up  and  passed  Bosmont,  Tarveaux,  Virginette, 
Lambercy,  Mont  Plaisir,  and  on  into  the  front  lines  at  the  Rue 
Larcher,  At  the  Rue  Larcher  the  battalion  passed  under  command 
of  Colonel  Pernin,  of  the  325th  (French)  Regiment  of  Infantry. 
On  November  9,  the  battalion  passed  under  command  of  Lieut.- 


226  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Colonel  Lugand  and  was  ordered  to  attack  Pont  d'Any.  The  ob- 
jective was  reached,  the  enemy  retiring  before  the  advance  of  the 
battalion.  On  November  10  the  battalion  continued  the  pursuit 
to  Etignieres,  where  it  was  stopped  temporarily  by  heavy  shell 
fire.  On  November  11  the  battalion  again  took  up  the  pursuit  with 
Reginowez  as  the  principal  objective.  Later  the  objective  was 
changed  to  Gue  d'Hossus,  Belgium.  The  battalion  reached  its 
objective  a  few  moments  before  the  signing  of  the  armistice. 

After  the  Armistice 

On  November  12  the  3rd  Battalion,  pursuant  to  Order  No. 
2082/3,  Headquarters  59th  Division,  French  Army,  retired  from 
Belgium  and  took  station  at  Auge  (Aisne).  On  November  15  the 
regiment  changed  station  as  follows:  Regimental  Headquarters 
and  the  1st  Battalion  to  Dagny  (Aisne) ;  the  2nd  Battalion  to  St. 
Clements  (Aisne)  and  the  3rd  Battalion  to  Morgny  (Aisne).  On 
November  16  the  regiment  changed  station  as  f ollov/s :  Regimental 
Headquarters  and  the  1st  Battalion  to  Barrenton-sur-Serre  (Aisne) ; 
the  2nd  and  3rd  Battalions  to  Froidmont-Cohartille  (Aisne).  On 
the  following  day,  November  17,  Regimental  Headquarters  and  the 
1st  Battalion  changed  station  to  Verneuil-sur-Serre   (Aisne). 

From  November  17  to  December  12,  1918,  the  regiment  was 
engaged  at  its  various  stations  in  cleaning  and  repairing  roads  and 
villages  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  its  stations.  On  December 
12  the  regiment  formally  passed  from  under  command  of  the 
French  and  on  the  sam.e  date  left  the  various  villages  in  which 
cantoned  and  marched  to  Soissons,  arriving  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
13th.  On  December  15  Capt.  John  H.  Patton  was  relieved  from 
command  of  the  2nd  Battalion  and  resumed  his  duties  as  Regi- 
mental Adjutant  and  Major  R.  M.  Stokes  was  relieved  from  duty 
with  Supply  Company  and  was  assigned  to  command  the  2nd 
Battalion. 

The  usual  cantonment  duties  were  performed  at  Soissons  until 
December  23,  1918,  on  which  date  the  regiment  entrained  for  the 
American  Embarkation  Center  at  Le  Mans,  arriving  on  December 
25,  1918,  and  going  into  cantonment.  While  stationed  at  Le  Mans, 
the  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  various  inspections  incident  to 
embarkation  for  the  United  States  until  January  8,  1919,  on  which 


"THE  EIGHTH  HXINOIS"  227 

date  the  regiment  entrained  for  Brest,  arriving  there  on  January 
10  and  going  into  camp  at  Camp  Pontanezen. 

Until  February  1,  1919,  the  regiment  engaged  in  the  various 
delousings,  inspections,  etc.,  incident  to  embarkation  and  on  that 
date  began  embarking  on  the  SS.  La  France  IV,  Colonel  T.  A. 
Roberts  assuming  command  of  the  troops  on  board  and  Captain 
Patton  the  duties  of  Transport  Adjutant.  The  embarkation  hav- 
ing been  completed  on  February  2,  the  steamer  sailed  for  the 
United  States,  arriving  at  New  York  on  February  9,  and  proceeding 
to  Camp  Upton,  Long  Island,  for  station. 

The  Reception  in  Chicago 

February  15,  1919,  the  regiment  entrained  at  Camp  Upton, 
Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  en  route  for  Camp  Grant,  Illinois,  via  Chicago. 
On  February  17  the^  regiment  arrived  at  Chicago,  detrained,  and 
proceeded  to  the  Coliseum,  where  the  citizens  had  arranged  a  re- 
ception for  the  returning  regiment.  At  2:00  p.  m.  the  regiment 
paraded  through  the  *'Loop"  district  of  Chicago  and  at  about  4:00 
p.  m.  entrained  for  Camp  Grant,  Illinois,  arriving  the  same  date 
and  going  into  barracks. 

From  the  date  of  arrival  at  Camp  Grant,  the  regiment  engaged 
in  the  various  duties  incident  to  preparation  for  demobilization 
until  Febinary  24,  on  which  date  the  discharge  of  officers  and 
enlisted  men  began,  and  continued  until  March  12,  1919,  on  which 
date  the  regiment  formally  ceased  to  exist. 

Cordial  Relations  Overseas 

In  commenting  upon  the  friendly  and  cordial  relations  which 
existed  between  French,  English,  and  Negro  officers  overseas  Capt. 
John  H.  Patton,  at  one  time  commanding  the  2nd  Battalion,  370th 
Infantry  (and  who,  together  with  Capt.  James  E.  Dunjill  and  Lieut. 
Charles  S.  Parker,  366th  Infantry,  92nd  Division,  were  the  only 
three  Negroes  who  served  in  the  capacity  of  Regimental  Adjutants 
during  the  war),  made  the  following  statement: 

''Both  French  and  English  officers  were  very  friendly  and  hos- 
pitable in  their  relations  with  the  colored  officers  of  the  370th  In- 
fantry, which  unit  was  brigaded  with  French  troops.  They  made 
uo  discrimination  whatsoever  in  their  treatment  of  Negro  officers. 


228  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

with  whom  they  fraternized  freely  and  truly   regarded   them   as 
brothers  in  arms. 

"Colonel  Franklin  A.  Denison  and  Lieut.-Colonel  Otis  B. 
Duncan  were  frequently  entertained  at  lunch,  not  only  by  officers 
of  their  own  rank,  but  occasionally  by  French  generals,  for  instance, 
by  Gen.  Hirshauer,  Commander  2nd  French  Army ;  Gen.  Lebuc,  com- 
manding the  73rd  Division;  Gen.  De  Boisuide,  commanding  the 
10th  Division;  Gen.  Savatier,  commanding  the  34th  Division;  Gen. 
Pauliner,  commanding  the  40th  Army  Corps,  and  frequently  by 
Gen.  Mittlehauser,  who  was  the  commanding  officer  of  the  36th 
( French)    Division. ' ' 

Awards  and  Commendations 

The  first  American  Distinguished  Service  Cross  won  by  the 
370th  Regiment  was  awarded  to  Corporal  Isaac  Valley,  Company 
M,  in  the  following  language:  ''Wlien  on  July  22,  1918,  a  hand 
grenade  was  dropped  among  a  group  of  soldiers  in  the  trench  and 
when  he  might  have  saved  himself  by  flight  he  (Corp.  Isaac  Valley, 
Company  M,  370th  Infantry),  attempted  to  cover  it  with  his  foot 
and  thereby  protect  his  comrades ;  in  the  performance  of  this  brave 
act  he  was  severely  wounded." 

While  serving  under  General  Mangin,  the  French  command- 
ing officer  of  the  Tenth  Army  of  France,  the  men  of  the  370th  U.  S. 
Infantry  came  to  be  known  as  the  *' Black  Devils"  by  the  Germans 
because  of  their  fighting  spirit,  and  w^ere  facetiously  called  ''Part- 
ridges" by  their  French  comrades  because  of  their  proud  bearing. 

Lieut.-Colonel  Otis  B.  Duncan,  commander  of  the  Third  Bat 
talion,  370th  Infantry,  formerly  the  old  Eighth  Illinois  National 
Guard  Regiment,  who  was  raised  from  the  rank  of  Major  to 
Lieutenant-Colonel  at  Camp  Stuart,  Newport  News,  Virginia, 
March,  1918  (being  the  highest  ranking  Negro  officer  in  the  Amer- 
ican Expeditionary  Forces),  in  speaking  of  the  military  campaign 
overseas  in  which  the  370th  U.  S.  Infantry  participated,  spoke  in 
St.  Louis  of  the  difficulties  which  his  men  had  to  face  and  of  the 
hardships  they  had  to  endure.  He  related  some  of  the  deeds  of 
the  regiment,  but  modestly  refused  to  speak  of  his  personal  ex- 
ploits. He  wears,  however,  the  French  Croix  de  Guerre,  with  silver 
star,  conferred  by  the  French  Government  through  General  Vin- 


"THE  EIGHTH  ILLINOIS"  229 

cendoii,  who,  in  a  general  order,  relates  how  the  Third  Battalion 
(Lieut.-Colonel  Duncan's  command)  took  Logny,  and  "carried 
away  hy  their  ardor  of  the  previous  iveek  could  not  he  stopped 
short  of  Gue  d'Hosstis,  on  November  11th  after  the  armistice." 

Colonel  Duncan  continued:  ''Beginning  September  27,  1918, 
we  sailed  into  them  and  drove  them  back  to  the  Ailette  Canal, 
where  they  made  a  stand,  facing  us  not  50  yards  away.  The 
fighting  here  was  fierce.  The  Germans  had  placed  barbed-mre 
entanglements  in  the  canal,  but  we  avoided  these  with  pontoon 
bridges  and  continued  our  drive.  We  reached  what  was  known 
as  Mont  des  Signes,  or  "Monkey  Mountain."  We  took  up  our 
position  here  between  "Monkey  Mountain"  and  the  German  line, 
near  a  narrow-gauge  railroad.  Here  we  encountered  more  con- 
crete emplacements,  dugouts,  and  barbed  wire,  and  in  getting  to 
the  Germans  every  man  of  us  had  to  climb  up  on  that  railroad 
embankment,  where  we  were  fair  marks  for  any  kind  of  shell 
the  Germans  sent  over.    Naturally  we  lost  many  of  our  men. 

"The  370th  Infantry,"  Colonel  Duncan  said,  "was  the  first 
regiment  of  allied  troops  to  enter  Petit  Chapelle,  in  Belgium,  and 
the  citizens  gave  them  an  ovation.  In  the  advance  made  by  Gen. 
Mangin's  army  in  its  59-day  drive,  from  September  11,  1918,  to 
the  date  of  the  Armistice  (November  11,  1918),  one  or  another  of 
the  units  of  the  regiment  was  always  under  shell  fire  and  fighting. 
In  Petit  Chapelle  the  regiment  established  its  lines  while  German 
combat  troops  still  were  in  the  town." 

Colonel  Duncan  served  for  16  years  with  the  Illinois  National 
Guard,  and  saw  service  on  the  Mexican  border,  where  he  held  the 
rank  of  Major.  He  was  promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  in  April, 
1917.  His  home  is  in  Springfield,  Illinois,  where  for  twenty  years 
he  was  connected  with  the  State  Department  of  Education.  The 
order  citing  him  for  bravery  which  was  signed  by  Gen.  Vincendon 
of  the  French  Army,  reads : 

"The  General  commanding  the  Fifty-ninth  Division  cites  to  the  Order 
of  the  Division  ]\Iilitary  the  following  names: 

"Lieutenant-Colonel  Duncan,  Otis  B.,  commanding  the  Third  Battalion 
of  the  370th  R.  I.  U.  S. 

"In  command  of  a  battalion  during  the  operations  of  September, 
October  and  November,  1918,  up  until  our  victorious  armistice,  with  the 
very  best  of  tact  and  highest  type  of  judgment. 


230  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

"At  all  times  during  the  pursuit  from  the  6th  of  November  to  Novem- 
ber 11th,  1918,  he  was  present  in  person  and  was  an  example  of  bravery 
and  enduranee  for  his  soldiers. 

(Signed)     "Vincendon/' 

On  the  Soissons  front  the  370th  Regiment  met  with  the  strong- 
est resistance  of  the  enemy.  Companies  F,  G,  H,  I,  and  M  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  the  great  drive.  They  took  ''Hill  304" 
from  the  Germans,  and  the  Tenth  French  Army,  with  which  this 
unit  was  fighting  renamed  it  *' 370th  Infantry  U.  S.  Hill"  in  honor 
of  this  Negro  regiment. 

Death  Valley  was  another  exciting  place  for  this  unit,  for  they 
had  advanced  into  the  Hindenburg  line  and  every  inch  of  ground 
that  was  won  had  to  be  held  with  science  and  grit.  The  *'8th 
Illinois  Regiment*'  gave  a  splendid  account  of  itself,  and  proved 
at  the  Oise-Aisne  Canal  to  be  among  the  world's  greatest  troops. 
Their  position  was  near  the  center  of  the  59th  Division,  in  the 
same  spot  where  France  had  lost  division  after  division. 

Record  of  the  370th  in  France 

Suffered  20  per  cent  casualties,  lost  ninety-five  men  and  one 
officer  killed  outright. 

Lost  only  one  prisoner  to  the  Germans  in  all  the  months  they 
fought. 

Captured  many  German  cannon  and  German  machine  guns. 

Participated  in  the  final  drive  against  the  Germans  on  the 
French  sector,  advancing  in  the  final  stages  of  the  war  as  far  as 
thirty-five  kilometers  in  one  day. 

Were  the  first  American  troops  to  enter'  the  French  fortress 
of  Laon  when  it  was  wrested  from  the  Germans  after  four  years 
of  war. 

"Won  twenty-one  American  Distinguished  Service  Crosses, 
sixty-eight  French  War  Crosses,  and  one  Distinguished  Service 
Medal. 

Fought  the  last  battle  of  the  ivar,  capturing  a  German  wagon 
train  of  fifty  wagons  and  crews  a  half-hour  after  the  Armistice 
went  into  effect. 

Refused  to  fraternize  Avith  the  Germans  even  after  the  Armis- 
tice was  signed. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
THE  371ST  INFANTRY  IN  FRANCE 

How  This  Colored  Regiment  of  the  ''Red  Hand"  Division  Helped 
to  Win  the  War — Service  in  the  Trenches  Under  General  Goy- 
het — In  the  Great  Champagne  Offensive — Fierce  Fighting  and 
Heavy  Losses — The  Regiment  Decorated  by  the  French — In- 
dividual Citations  and  Awards. 

In  addition  to  the  369th  Infantry  Regiment  (old  New  York 
Fifteenth)  and  the  370th  (old  Eighth  Illinois),  the  371st  and  372nd 
Regiments,  also  composed  of  colored  troops,  were  brigaded  with 
the  French  during  their  active  sendee  overseas.  It  had  been  first 
decided  by  the  United  States  War  Department  that  these  four 
colored  regiments  should  form  the  nucleus  of  the  93rd  Division 
(Provisional),  but  it  was  finally  decided  not  to  organize  the  93rd 
Division,  but  to  brigade  these  four  regiments  with  French  troops. 

The  371st  Infantry  was  organized  August  31,  1917,  at  Camp 
Jackson,  South  Carolina,  in  compliance  with  War  Department 
General  Order  No.  109,  of  August  16,  1917,  as  the  First  Pro- 
visional Infantry  Regiment  (colored).  Col.  Perry  L.  Miles  assumed 
command  of  the  regiment  September  1,  1917.  All  the  ofiicers  of  the 
371st  regiment  were  white.  On  September  5,  1917,  fourteen 
colored  men  from  Pensacola,  Florida,  were  received  as  the  first 
recruits  for  the  regiment.  The  time  of  arrival  of  recruits  for 
the  regiment  was  delayed  by  the  War  Department  for  about  a 
month,  because  of  the  shortage  of  labor  in  moving  the  1917  cotton 
crop.  It  was  not  until  early  in  October  that  the  first  considerable 
body  of  recruits  was  received.  By  November  20,  1917,  however, 
3,380  men  had  been  received  by  the  regiment.  These  men  were 
not  all  received  at  once,  but  in  varying  sized  draft  increments  at 
different  times.  Of  this  number,  1,680  men  were  transferred  to 
labor  organizations  and  500  to  a  combat  organization  at  Camp 
Upton. 

231 


232  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Under  a  staif  of  French  officer  instructors  and  interpreters, 
the  371st  Infantry  was  reorganized  on  the  French  plan,  soon  after 
its  arrival  in  France  (April  23,  1918),  with  194  men  to  the  com- 
pany and  three  machine  gun  companies  to  the  regiment  instead 
of  one  as  on  the  American  plan.  All  the  American  equipment 
was  turned  in,  and  the  men  were  given  the  French  rifles,  bayonets, 
helmets,  packs,  and  other  equipment  of  the  French  soldier.  Only 
the  American  khaki  uniform  remained.  After  a  few  weeks*  in- 
struction in  this  new  equipment  and  in  French  tactics,  the  regi- 
ment went  into  the  trenches  as  part  of  the  157th  French  Division 
under  General  Goybet.  It  remained  in  line  for  over  three  months, 
holding  first  the  Avocourt  and  later  the  Verrieres  subsectors 
(northwest  of  Verdun).  The  regiment,  with  its  di\dsion,  was  then 
taken  out  of  line  and  thrown  into  the  great  September  offensive 
in  the  Champagne.  It  took  Cote  188,  Bussy  Ferme,  Ardeuil,  Mont- 
fauxelles,  and  Trieres  Ferme  near  Monthois,  and  captured  a  num- 
ber of  prisoners,  47  machine  guns,  8  trench  engines,  3  field  pieces 
(77s),  a  munition  depot,  a  number  of  railroad  cars,  and  enormous 
quantities  of  lumber,  hay,  and  other  supplies.  It  shot  down  three 
German  airplanes  by  rifle  and  machine-gun  fire  during  the  ad- 
vance. 

During  the  fighting  between  September  28  and  October  6, 
1918,  its  losses — which  were  mostly  in  the  first  three  days — ^were 
1,065  out  of  2,384  actually  engaged.  The  regiment  was  the  apex 
of  the  attacking  salient  in  this  great  battle.  The  percentage  of 
both  dead  and  wounded  among  the  officers  was  rather  greater  than 
among  the  enlisted  men.  Eealizing  their  great  responsibilities,  the 
wounded  officers  continued  to  lead  their  men  until  they  dropped 
from  exhaustion  and  lack  of  blood.  The  men  were  devoted  to  their 
leaders  and  as  a  result  stood  up  against  a  most  gruelling  fire, 
bringing  the  regiment  its  well  deser\^ed  fame. 

For  its  action  in  the  Champagne,  the  371st  was  very  highly 
commended  by  the  French  high  command  and  awarded  the  Army 
citation.  Vice-Admiral  Moreau  on  behalf  of  the  French  Govern- 
ment decorated  the  regimental  colors  on  January  27,  1919,  in 
Brest.  In  addition  to  this  regimental  citation,  146  individual  cita- 
tions were  awarded  members  of  the  371st  regiment.  These  were 
divided  as  follows; 


THE  371ST  INFANTRY  IN  FRANCE  233 

American  Distinguished  Service  Cross:  Officers,  10;  enlisted 
men,  12. 

French  decorations:  Legion  of  Honor:  Officers,  1.  Croix  de 
Guerre,  in  various  grades:     Officers,  34;  enlisted  men,  89. 

The  371st  went  into  line  for  its  initial  experience  in  sector 
work  at  a  time  when  a  big  German  offensive  was  expected.  From 
that  time  until  shortly  after  the  Armistice,  the  regiment  remained 
continuously  in  line  or  was  on  the  offensive.    It  was  never  in  rest. 

Returning  homeward,  the  regiment  sailed  from  Brest  February 
3,  1919,  on  the  U.  S.  S.  Leviathan  and  arrived  at  Hoboken,  February 
11,  1919.  From  there  it  went  to  Camp  Upton,  where  it  was  broken 
up  into  detachments  and  sent  to  various  camps  for  demobilization. 
The  largest  detachment,  nearly  1,400  men  with  Regimental  Head- 
quarters, was  sent  to  Camp  Jackson,  at  Columbia,  South  Carolina, 
the  place  of  the  regiment's  birth.  Demobilization  was  completed 
and  the  regiment  dissolved  February  28,  1919. 

Praise  for  the  Regiment 

Col.  P.  L.  Miles,  who  commanded  the  371st,  speaks  in  warm 
and  approving  terms  of  the  efficiency  of  his  men.  ' '  I  never  heard  of 
similar  performance  by  any  regiment  of  any  nation,"  Col.  Miles 
writes,  commenting  on  the  feat  of  shooting  three  Boche  airplanes 
"on  the  wing."  "Our  division  commander,  who  had  over  four 
years  of  war  over  here,  said  he  had  heard  of  a  former  case  where 
one  machine  had  been  shot  down  in  a  similar  manner." 

Another  officer  of  the  371st,  Capt.  J.  Leo  Collins  of  East  Pitts- 
burgh, Pennsylvania,  a  member  of  the  Allegheny  County  bar, 
who  was  commissioned  an  officer  at  Fort  Oglethorpe,  Georgia,  and 
assigned  to  duty  at  Camp  Jackson,  South  Carolina,  where  the  371st 
was  organized  and  trained,  says:  "The  371st  was  the  first  draft 
regiment  to  sail  from  this  country,  sailing  in  April,  1918,  and  the 
first  draft  outfit  to  take  the  trenches.  In  the  engagements  around 
Verdun  the  fighting  qualities  and  courage  of  our  boys  won  the 
admiration  and  most  profuse  praise  of  the  French.  Citations  were 
showered  upon  the  valorous  boys  for  their  unflinching  conduct  in 
the  face  of  withering  machine-gun  fire,  which  they  overcame  and 
silenced  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  We  broke  the  Hindenburg 
line  at  Monthois,  and  so  rapidly  did  our  boys  move  that  a  halt  was 


234  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

called  to  enable  the  right  and  left  flanks  of  our  line  to  catch  up. 
An  excellent  opportunity  was  furnished  by  comparisons  as  to  just 
how  good  our  colored  soldiers  were.  At  times  we  were  brigaded 
with  the  French  Moroccan  and  with  English  Canadian  troops,  with 
the  Germans  opposite,  and  it  is  quite  safe  to  say  that  w^e  certainly 
did  not  suffer  by  comparison." 

Frank  Washington's  Story 

A  typical  story  of  the  courage  and  bravery  of  the  men  who 
composed  the  371st  Regiment  is  revealed  in  the  record  of  Frank 
Washington  of  Edgefield,  South  Carolina.  He  proved  his  valor 
under  conditions  worthy  of  testing  the  bravery  of  the  bravest. 
He  was  attached  to  Company  B,  and  received  an  explosive  bullet 
through  the  arm  at  Champagne.    His  story  was  as  follows : 

*'It  was  all  bad,  but  the  worst  came  when  the  German  air- 
planes flew  low  and  sprayed  the  wounded  with  liquid  fire.  There 
is  no  way  of  putting  out  that  liquid  flame,  and  no  one  can  help 
you,  because  the  fire  spreads  so  quickly.  It  is  bad  enough  to  be 
helpless  out  there,  without  water  or  friends,  but  to  have  a  hell- 
fiend  fly  over  and  just  squirt  torture  at  you — well,  the  Indians  or 
the  savages  of  Africa  were  not  much  worse.  They  were  not  so 
bad,  in  fact,  for  they  were  savages — while  the  Germans  are  sup- 
posed to  be  civilized. 

'^A  Hun  plane  flew  over  when  I  was  wounded,  but  believe  me, 
when  I  saw  that  fire  coming  I  sure  did  some  lively  hopping  around. 
There  wasn't  going  to  be  any  broiled  Washington  if  I  could  help 
it.  But  some  of  the  mortally  wounded  were  burned  to  death. 
Those  Huns  should  be  made  to  pay  for  that  sort  of  thing.  It  ain't 
fighting;  it's  concentrated  hell!  But  we  had  to  attend  to  their 
wounded,  and  one  of  our  officers  saw  that  we  did  it. 

*'I  went  over  the  top  in  the  fighting  on  September  29  and  30. 
We  advanced  after  the  usual  barrage  had  been  laid  down  for  us. 
We  went  up  to  the  Germans,  and  my  platoon  found  itself  under 
the  fire  of  three  machine  guns.  One  of  these  guns  was  in  front 
and  running  like  a  millrace.  The  other  two  kept  a-piling  into  us 
from  the  flanks,  and  the  losses  were  mounting.  We  got  the  front 
one.  Its  crew  surrendered  and  we  stopped.  The  other  g-uns  kept 
right  on  going,  but  we  got  them,  too. 


THE  371ST  INFANTRY  IN  FRANCE  235 

*'It  was  while  wo  wore  attacking"  tl]e  gims  on  our  flanks  that 
I  was  wounded.  Ordinary  bullets  are  bad  enough,  but  the  one  that 
hit  me  was  an  explosive  bullet.  That's  me,  sir,  every  time!  AVhen 
things  are  coming,  I  am  sure  to  get  my  share  of  them.  I  certainly 
did  get  my  share. 

**  While  I  was  knocked  down,  it  was  safer  to  stay  down.  Those 
machine  guns  kept  right  on  pumping,  not  the  ones  we  captured, 
but  others.  The  wind  they  stirred  up  around  your  face  kept  you 
cool  all  the  time.  I  finally  started  back,  but  found  myself  in  a 
German  barrage.  It  was  shrapnel  in  front  of  me  and  machine  guns 
in  back  of  me.  I  lay  right  dow^n  and  had  a  heart-to-heart  chat  with 
St.  Peter.    I  never  expected  to  get  home  again. 

*'They  say  Edgefield,  back  home,  isn't  much  to  look  at,  but  I 
would  have  given  two  months'  pay,  including  allotments,  to  get 
back  on  my  farm  about  then.  But  now  that  I've  been  there  and 
come  back,  I  feel  that  I'm  square  with  this  country.  I  did  my 
share,  and  I'm  glad  I  did  it." 

Jim  McKinney's  Experience 

James  P.  McKinney,  of  Greeneville,  South  Carolina,  attached 
to  the  Headquarters  Company  of  the  371st  Infantry,  was  wounded 
in  the  right  arm  by  shrapnel.  Gas  infection  set  in  and  he  was 
invalided  out  of  service. 

"The  day  we  went  over  the  top,"  says  McKinney,  **we  took 
our  positions  early  in  the  morning,  and  waited  until  our  barrage 
had  smashed  the  German  defenses  pretty  w^ell.  About  the  time 
our  barrage  lifted,  the  Huns  sent  over  a  counter-barrage,  but 
we  went  right  through  it,  and  over  the  slopes  commanded  by  their 
machine  guns.  They  turned  loose  eveiything  they  had  to  offer, 
and  the  storm  of  lead  and  steel  got  a  lot  of  our  men.  Still,  we 
followed  our  officers  into  the  devils'  trenches.  A  few  of  the  Ger- 
mans tried  to  fight  with  their  bayonets,  but  we  could  all  box  pretty 
well,  and  boxing  works  with  the  bayonet.  A  few  feints  and  then 
the  death-stroke  was  the  rule.  Most  of  the  Huns  quit  as  soon  as 
we  got  at  them.  Even  tlie  ones  that  had  been  on  the  machine  guns 
yelled  for  us  to  spare  them.  I  guess  in  the  excitement  some  of 
them  fared  poorly. 

''While  we  were  advancing  we  worked  along  low  and  took  all 


236  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

available  cover  against  the  macliine-gTin  fire  directed  against  us. 
As  soon  as  we  came  within  range  we  opened  fire  with  hand  gren- 
ades and  accounted  for  the  machine-gun  nests.  I  saw  some  of  the 
gunners  chained  to  their  posts.  Their  barbed  wire  gave  us  trouble. 
Our  artillery  cut  it  up  pretty  badly,  but  still  it  was  a  pretty  strong 
barrier  against  the  advancing  infantry.  When  we  got  tangled  up 
in  the  wire,  Fritz  would  play  with  his  rifles.  I've  seen  fellows  get 
into  a  German  trench  with  their  unifomis  flying  in  shreds. 

*'I  was  wounded  in  the  arm  at  the  'big  stunt.'  We  were  at- 
tacking along  the  whole  front,  and  the  Huns  were  kept  on  the 
hop.  While  going  up  I  was  hit  and  had  to  fall  behind.  My  arm 
was  badly  mussed  up,  but  I  threw  a  few  grenades  here  and  there, 
and  g-uess  I  got  a  few  of  them. 

''The  German  artillery  fire  was  accurate.  They  had  our 
ranges  down  to  a  science,  and  while  they  had  good  ammunition 
were  hummers.  They  were  good  marksmen.  Why,  I've  seen  them 
cut  a  regular  ditch  along  a  row  of  shell-holes  to  prevent  our  troops 
from  using  the  holes  for  shelter.  There  was  positively  nothing 
they  didn't  do  that  was  horrible.  I've  seen  them  cut  loose  at  a 
company  runner  with  three-inch  artilleiy.  It  was  a  funny  sight 
for  us,  but  not  for  the  runner.  The  Huns  would  drop  shells  all 
around  him  while  he  fled  on  ^vings  of  terror.  I  never  saw  them 
get  a  runner  with  their  artillery  fire,  but  I've  seen  some  veiy  close 
shooting. 

"Perhaps  the  most  unusual  experience  I  ever  had  was  one 
day  when  we  were  advancing  toward  the  German  positions.  They 
cut  loose  with  their  artillery  and  we  were  ordered  to  take  open 
order  and  hunt  cover.  For  two  hours  we  were  \'iolently  shelled, 
but  thanks  to  Providence,  none  of  us  was  killed.  A  few  were 
slightly  wounded.  They  mixed  high  explosives  v\^ith  gas  and 
shrapnel. 

"About  the  hardest  luck  of  the  war,  though,"  concluded  Mc- 
Kinney,  "fell  to  the  lot  of  a  pal  of  mine.  He  got  a  piece  of  steak 
somewhere  and  was  cooking  it,  his  first  bit  of  steak  in  months. 
While  the  meat  was  broiling  the  Germans  began  a  gas  bombard- 
ment. The  men  put  on  their  masks,  but  the  meat  was  ruined. 
That's  what  I  call  hard  luck.'» 


THE  371ST  INFANTRY  IN  FRANCE  237 

The  Men  Never  Flinched 

Capt.  "VV.  E.  Eicbey  of  Laurens,  South  Carolina,  who  com- 
manded a  company  of  the  371st  Eegiment,  in  writing  of  the  men 
of  that  regiment,  said:  ''On  the  afternoon  of  September  26,  1918, 
we  received  orders  to  move  forward.  We  slept  that  night  in  a 
French  communicating"  trench.  I  say  slept,  but  reall}"  there  was 
no  sleep,  as  it  was  raining,  and  the  noise  from  the  guns  would 
not  let  one  sleep.  The  French  had  gone  over  the  top  and  were  pur- 
suing the  Huns. 

''On  Sunday  morning  my  company  went  over  the  hill.  We 
arrived  at  the  position  the  attack  was  to  start  from  at  7:30,  after 
having  a  deadly  artillery  barrage  on  us  over  the  hill.  At  10  o'clock 
Sunday  morning  we  were  ordered  to  advance  up  the  valley,  but  in 
the  meantime  an  enemy  plane  flew  down  low,  discovered  our  posi- 
tion, and  signalled  his  artillery,  which  opened  on  us,  and  evei-y 
minute  seemed  to  be  the  last  one.  However,  by  rifle  fire  we  brought 
the  plane  down,  killing  the  pilot  and  observer. 

"Long  before  we  reached  the  village  we  could  see  the  cowards 
running  up  a  steep  hill  beyond,  leaving  lots  of  machine  guns  to 
stick  out,  and,  believe  me,  when  we  reached  our  objective  and 
rounded  up  the  machine  gimners  the  men  of  the  371st  made  quick 
work  of  them. 

"In  all,  during  the  two  days,  Sunday  and  Monday,  our  battalion 
advanced  about  five  miles  without  the  aid  of  a  single  friendly 
artillery  shot  or  any  other  help.  We  killed  lots  of  Germans, 
captured  lots  of  them,  and  also  captured  any  quantity  of  material 
and  several  big  guns. 

"I  am  proud  of  all  my  officers  and  all  of  my  men.  The  whole 
regiment  fought  like  veterans,  and  with  a  fierceness  equal  to  any 
white  regiment.  This  was  the  first  time  any  of  them  had  been 
under  aimed  shell  and  machine-gun  fire  and  they  stood  it  like 
moss-covered  old-timers.  They  never  flinched  or  showed  the  least 
sig-n  of  fear.  All  that  was  necessary  w^as  to  tell  them  to  go  and 
they  went.  Lots  were  killed  and  wounded,  but  they  will  go  down 
in  histor\^  as  brave  soldiers." 

"They  Were  Splendid  Fighters" 
Lieut.   John  B.   Smith,   another   Southeni   officer,   residing   at 
Greenville,  South  Carolina,  when  asked  about  the  soldierly  quality 


238  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  the  colored  drafted  men  who  composed  the  371st,  said:  "The 
men  were  good  soldiers.  They  were  obedient  to  all  commands, 
and  were  in  every  way  amenable  to  discipline.  They  were  drafted 
men  of  all  sorts,  gathered  from  the  farms  and  cities  and  towns, 
from  every  occupation.  To  be  frank,  we  were  a  little  dubious  about 
them.  We  did  not  know  whether  they  would  stand  under  fire  or 
not.  But  they  did.  They  would  go  right  into  the  thickest  sort  of 
fight,  and  they  were  splendid  fighters." 

''Would  the  colored  men  stand  under  a  losing  fight?"  Lieut. 
Smith  was  asked.     ''Would  they  stand  the  gaff!" 

"Yes,"  was  his  reply.  "We  never  had  that  experience  but 
once,  for  we  were  usually  winning.  But  in  the  Argonne  Forest 
we  advanced  seven  kilometers  one  day,  getting  ahead  of  the  line. 
The  next  day  we  were  subjected  to  a  terrific  counter-attack.  The 
enemy  used  artillery  and  gas,  and  airplanes,  and  rushed  us  with 
infantry  and  machine  guns.  We  held  our  ground  for  seven  hours, 
fighting  part  of  the  time  with  our  gas  masks  on.  It  was  as  severe 
a  test  as  any  soldier  ever  had,  but  our  men  never  faltered  once, 
although  our  casualties  were  very  hea^y  that  day.  No  soldiers 
could  have  behaved  any  better  under  adverse  circumstances. 

"The  colored  men  were  given  different  treatment  by  the 
French  people  from  what  they  had  been  accustomed  to  receive 
from  white  people  at  home,"  continued  Lieut.  Smith.  "The 
French  people  could  not  grasp  the  idea  of  social  discrimination 
on  account  of  color.  They  said  the  colored  men  were  soldiers, 
wearing  the  American  uniform,  and  fighting  in  the  common  cause, 
and  they  could  not  see  why  they  should  be  discriminated  against 
socially.  They  received  the  men  in  their  churches  and  homes  and 
places  of  entertainment.  The  men  accepted  this,  and  it  did  not 
seem  to  appear  strange  to  them.  They  seemed  to  understand  that 
the  customs  over  there  were  different  from  ours  in  the  South,  and 
let  it  go  at  that.  I  don't  think  anybody  need  be  uneasy  or  appre- 
hensive. I  think  these  colored  men,  ha/ing  made  good  soldiers, 
will  now  be  more  than  anxious  to  make  as  good  civilians,  and  that 
they  will  do  so." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND 

A  Regiment  Made  Up  of  National  Guard  Troops  and  Drafted  Men 
— Attached  to  the  Famous  French  ''Red  Hand"  Division — Its 
Splendid  Record  in  France — At  Hill  304 — Heroic  Exploits  of 
Individuals — The  Regiment  Decorated  With  the  Croix  de 
Guerre — Citations  and  Awards. 

The  372nd  Regiment  of  Infantry,  United  States  Army,  was  a 
colored  regiment  composed  of  the  First  Separate  Battalion  of  the 
District  of  Columbia;  the  9th  Ohio  Separate  Battalion;  Company 
L  of  Massachusetts;  the  First  Separate  Company  of  Connecticut; 
the  First  Separate  Company  of  Maryland — all  these  being  National 
Guard  troops,  and  250  drafted  men  from  Camp  Custer,  Michigan, 
recruited  mainly  from  Michigan  and  Wisconsin. 

It  was  the  fortune  of  the  372nd  Regiment,  U.  S.  Army,  to  be 
brigaded,  together  with  the  371st  Infantry,  throughout  its  entire 
period  of  service  overseas,  with  the  157th  Division  of  the  French 
Army,  the  famous  *'Red  Hand"  Division.  Like  every  other  fight- 
ing regiment  of  Negro  Americans,  whether  Regular  Army,  National 
Guard,  or  drafted  men  who  had  never  handled  a  rifle  or  known 
the  meaning  of  a  salute  until  after  the  United  States  entered  the 
war,  the  men  of  the  372nd,  like  those  of  the  371st,  bore  them- 
selves throughout  with  the  utmost  gallantry  and  won  the  highest 
praise  for  their  military  achievements. 

No  extended  narrative  of  the  war  could  tell  as  clearly  and  force- 
fully, and  at  the  same  time  concisely  just  what  the  372nd  did  from 
the  time  its  members  left  America  until  they  returned  home  a  little 
more  than  ten  months  later,  than  the  following  chronological  record : 

**  Regiment  embarked  from  Newport  News,  Virginia,  March  30, 
1918,  for  overseas  duty  on  board  U.  S.  S.  Susquehanna. 

"Reached  port  at  St.  Nazaire,  France,  April  13, 1918. 

**  Landed  April  14,  1918,  and  marched  to  rest  camp. 

239 


240  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

''Left  rest  camp  Base  Section  No.  1,  France,  April  21,  1918, 
and  entrained  for  Vaubecourt. 

''Arrived  at  Vaubecourt  7:00  P.  M.,  April  23,  1918. 

"Left  Vaubecourt  8:30  P.  M.  Sd.  (same  daj),  and  hiked  in  a 
very  heavy  rain  to  Conde-en-Barrois,  arriving  there  2:00  A.  M. 
April  24,  1918. 

"Under  special  instructions  with  the  13th  French  Army  Corps 
at  Conde-en-Barrois  from  April  24,  1918,  to  May  25,  1918. 

"Left  Conde-en-Barrois  8:05  on  the  morning  of  May  28,  1918, 
in  French  motor  trucks  for  Les  Sennades,  arriving  at  Les  Sennades 
1 :30  P.  M.  Sd. 

"Eegiment  took  sector  "Argonne  West'*  May  29,  1918. 

"In  front  line  trenches  May  31,  1918. 

"Regimental  Headquarters  moved  to  La  Neufour,  June  9,  1918. 

"Regiment  changed  sectors  June  29-30,  1918,  and  took  over  the 
Vacquois  Sector,  a  sub-sector  of  the  Verdun. 

"The  157th  Division  being  a  reserve  division  at  this  point  where 
the  enemy  was  expected  to  attack. 

"Regimental  Headquarters  moved  to  Camp  Chillaz  June  30, 

1918. 

"Regiment  left  Vacquois  sector  July  13,  1918,  for  ''Hill  304" 
of  the  Verdun  sector. 

"Colonel  Young  reliev^ed  from  command  and  Colonel  Tupes 
assumed  command  at  Locheres. 

"Regimental  Headquarters  moved  to  Bois  St.  Pierre  July  18, 
1918,  and  moved  again  Sd.  to  Sivry  La  Perche. 

' '  Regiment  left  Sivry  La  Perche  where  it  had  stopped  awaiting 
orders  to  take  over  sector  July  25,  1918. 

"Arrived  and  took  sector  about  9:00  P.  M.  Sd.     Usual  trench 
duty. 

"Severe  shelling  at  Regimental  P.  C.  August  3,  1918. 

"Heavy  shelling  at  Monzeville  August  16,  1918,  by  a  new  re^- 
ment  of  Austrians  which  was  opposing  us,  two  American  and  one 
Frenchman  wounded.  Second  Lieut.  James  E.  Sanford,  Co.  A,  372nd 
Infantry,  captured  by  German  patrol  August  20,  1918. 

"Left  Hill  304  September  8,  1918,  being  relieved  by  the  129th 
U.  S.  Infantry  of  the  33rd  Illinois  Division. 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND  241 

''Hiked  in  rain  and  mud  to  Bois  de  Brocourt,  the  trip  being  a 
long  and  disagreeable  one. 

''Left  Bois  de  Brocourt  September  12,  1918,  for  Souasems  La 
Granges;  tlie  trip  was  a  short  one  and  the  boys  full  of  fun. 

"Arrived  at  Souasems  Sd. 

"Left  Souasems  in  motor  trucks  for  Juzanvigny  September  13, 
1918,  an  all  night  trip,  arriving  at  Juzanvigny  12 :00  M.  September 
14,  1918. 

"Left  for  Brienne  Le  Chateau  8:05  September  17,  1918,  to 
entrain  for  Jussecourt.  (Napoleon  attended  school  at  Brienne  Le 
Chateau.) 

"Arrived  at  Vitry  La  Francois  2:00  P.  M.  Sd.  The  city  is  a 
beautiful  one  and  overlooks  the  battlefield  "MARNE,"  the  trip 
being  in  box  cars. 

"Left  next  morning  for  Jussecourt  at  9:00  A.  M.  on  the  hardest 
hike  to  date  and  arrived  at  Jussecourt  8 :00  P.  M.  September  18, 1918. 

"Regiment  left  for  Contault  September  20,  1918,  at  8:00  P.  M., 
arriving  there  at  12 :30  A.  M.  September  21,  1918. 

"Left  Contault  for  Dommartin  9:00  P.  M.  September  22,  1918. 
Arrived  Sd. 

"Left  for  Camp  Des  Mangnieux  9 :00  P.  M.  September  23,  1918, 
arriving  at  12 :30  P.  M.  September  24,  1918. 

"Left  for  Hans  September  24,  1918,  arriving  and  joining  the 
9th  French  Army  Corps  at  Hans  Sd. 

"Left  Hans  to  take  position  in  attack;  the  3rd  Battalion  leav- 
ing September  26,  1918,  the  1st  September  27,  1918,  and  the  3rd  Sep- 
tember 28,  1918. 

"Over  tho  Top"  on  September  Morn 

"  'Over  the  Top'  September  28,  1918,  the  3rd  Battalion  started 
after  the  Boche.  The  first  blow  being  delivered  by  the  2nd  Moroc- 
can Division  of  shock  troops.  The  retreating  Boches  are  still  bom- 
barding our  position.  Machine  gun  fire  is  thick  and  the  88s  are 
falling  like  hail. 

"On  the  morning  of  September  29,  1918,  we  are  trying  hard  to 
keep  up  with  the  retreating  enemy,  which  is  retreating  fast,  unable 
to  stand  our  assault.  This  afternoon  it  is  raining  which  is  unfortu- 
nate for  our  wounded,  as  there  are  many. 


242  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

"Today  is  September  30, 1918,  and  we  find  that  the  Ist  Battalion 
is  on  our  right,  and  advancing  fast  in  the  rain  and  mud.  Machine 
gun  opposition  is  still  stiff.  Our  casualties  are  small  and  we  have 
captured  a  large  number  of  prisoners. 

''October  1,  1918,  we  are  meeting  with  a  stiff  resistance  from 
the  enemy  who  has  fortified  himself  in  a  hill  during  the  past  night. 
Owing  to  the  bad  condition  of  the  ground  we  are  not  getting  any 
support  from  the  French  artillery. 

"October  2,  1918,  we  have  driven  the  enemy  out  of  Fountain- 
en-Dormois  and  are  now  in  the  village.  Still  we  are  giving  the 
enemy  no  rest,  they  are  retreating  across  the  valley  to  one  of  their 
supply  bases  which  has  a  railroad  running  into  the  same.  The 
enemy  is  now  burning  the  supplies  which  cannot  be  moved. 

"October  3,  1918,  we  have  advanced  and  captured  the  little  vil- 
lage of  Ardeuil  and  a  considerable  amount  of  war  material.  Our 
losses  have  been  rather  heavy  during  the  past  24  hours,  but  we  have 
inflicted  a  much  heavier  loss  on  the  enemy.  On  our  right  the  1st 
BattaUon  has  taken  the  village  of  Sechaut  after  some  hard  fighting 
by  Company  A. 

"October  4,  1918,  the  2nd  Battalion  is  going  in  this  morning, 
and  we  are  resting  at  Yieox,  which  is  about  four  kilometers  from 
Monthois  and  is  one  of  the  enemy's  railroad  centers  and  hospital 
bases.  The  enemy  is  busy  destroying  supplies  and  moving  wounded. 
We  can  see  trains  moving  out  of  Monthois.  Our  artillery  is  bom- 
barding all  roads  and  railroads  in  the  vicinity.  The  enemies'  fire 
is  fierce  and  vv-e  are  expecting  a  counter-attack. 

"October  5,  1918,  the  German  artillery  has  opened  up  good 
and  strong  and  we  are  on  the  alert.  They  attacked  us  and  a  stiff 
hand-to-hand  combat  ensued.  Again  he  has  been  driven  back,  suf- 
fering an  exceedingly  hea^^y  loss.  We  have  taken  many  prisoners 
from  about  twelve  different  regiments.  After  resting  a  little,  we 
continued  our  advance  and  are  now  on  the  outskirts  of  Monthois. 

"October  6,  1918,  the  enemy  is  throwing  a  stiff  barrage  on  our 
left  where  the  333rd  French  Infantry  is  attacking.  The  enemy  is 
again  being  driven  back.  The  liaison  work  of  the  157th  Division  has 
been  wonderful,  not  the  shghtest  gap  has  been  left  open. 

"October  7,  1918,  our  patrols  entered  Monthois  early  in  the 
morning  but  were  driven  out  by  machine  gnin  fire,  but  returned  with 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372XD  243 

a  gun  and  its  crew.  We  have  just  received  word  that  we  are  to  be 
relieved  by  the  76th  Regiment,  French,  sometime  during  the  night; 
we  were  relieved  at  8 :00  P.  M.  AVe  liiked  a  very  long  distance  over 
the  ground.  "We  fought  so  hard  to  take  to  Minnecourt  where  the 
regiment  proceeded  to  reorganize. 

'*  Regiment  reached  Somme  Bionne  Oct.  9,  1918.  Regiment  left 
Somme  Bionne  Oct.  11,  1918  to  entrain  for  Vignemont.  Left  Valmy 
8:00  A.  M.  Oct.  12,  1918  and  arrived  at  Vig-nemont  Oct.  13,  1918. 
Hiked  15  kilometers  to  St.  Leonard  and  arrived  Sd.  Left  St.  Leonard 
for  Ban  de  Laveline  in  the  Dept.  of  the  Bosges  Oct.  15,  1918,  arrived 
at  Laveline  10:15  P.  M.  Sd. 

''November  7,  1918,  1  officer  and  22  enlisted  men  captured  by 
German  patrol.  Nov.  10,  1918,  a  patrol  of  Co.  A,  took  several  pri- 
soners from  a  German  patrol. 

Everybody  Happy  When  the  End  Came 

''November  11,  1918,  everybody  in  the  village  of  Laveline  is 
happy  over  news  of  the  abdication  of  the  Kaiser  and  the  signing 
of  the  armistice.  Martial  music  is  plentiful  and  the  colors  of  the 
regiment  are  displayed  from  the  P.  C. 

"The  regiment  left  the  10th  Army  Corps  Nov.  17th,  1918. 

"Left  Laveline  Nov.  17, 1918  and  hiked  45  kilometers  to  Granges, 
arrived  at  Granges  the  morning  of  Nov.  18,  1918.  Usual  close  order 
drill  at  this  station  preparing  for  overseas  duty. 

"Regiment  left  157th  Division  Dec.  13,  1918,  the  Commanding 
General  thereof  was  down  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  regiment. 

"January  1, 1919,  regiment  left  for  Le  Mans  (forwarding  camp). 
The  92nd  Division  was  assembled  here  and  we  met  many  of  our  old 
friends.  Left  Le  Mans  January  10,  1919  for  Brest  (embarkation 
port).  Left  Brest  February  3,  1919  for  Hoboken.  Arrived  at 
Hoboken  February  11, 1919  on  world's  greatest  ship.  The  Le\iathan, 
U.  S.  N.  (formerly  the  Vaterland  o\\Tied  by  Germany)." 

On  October  8th  the  157th  Division  with  others  was  transferred 
from  the  9th  Army  Corps  of  the  French  to  the  10th  Army  Corps. 
General  Garnier  Duplessis  took  this  occasion  to  commend  the  di\'ision, 
particularly  mentioning  the  American  regiments  in  the  following 
general  order: 


244  SCOTT 'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

*'P.  C.  October  7th,  ,1918 
"9th  Army  Corps. 
Staff  3rd  Bureau 
No.  2555 

NOTE 

''The  157th,  161st  and  the  2nd  Moroccan  Divisions  are  leaving 
the  Army  Corps.  The  General  commanding  the  10th  Army  Corps 
addressed  to  them  his  most  sincere  thanks  and  his  warmest  con- 
gratulations for  the  glorious  success  achieved  by  their  admirable 
ardour  and  their  indomitable  tenacity.  He  salutes  the  brave  Amer- 
ican Regiments  who  have  rivaled  in  intrepidity  their  French  Com- 
rades. 

**He  cannot  recount  here  the  feats  which  have  been  performed 
for  every  one  jof  the  days  of  that  victorious  journey.  They  are 
inscribed  on  the  conquered  grounds,  materialized  by  the  trophies 
taken  from  the  enemy  and  engraved  in  the  heart  of  the  chief  who 
bows  before  the  troops  and  salutes  them  profoundly. 

Genepwvl,  Gaknter  Duplessis, 
Commanding  the  9th  Army  Corps." 

In  transmitting  this  order  to  the  several  regiments  compris- 
ing the  Division,  General  Goybet  reviewed  the  exploits  of  the  Divi- 
sion in  the  following  order: 

''P.  C.  October  8,  1918. 
''157th  Division. 
"Staff. 

General  Order  No.  234 

"In  transmitting  to  you  with  legitimate  pride  the  thanks  and 
congratulations  of  the  General  Garnier  Duplessis,  allow  me,  my  dear 
friends  of  all  ranks,  Americans  and  French,  to  thank  you  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart  as  a  chief  and  a  soldier  for  the  expression  of 
gratitude  for  the  glory  which  you  have  lent  our  good  157th  Division.  I 
had  full  confidence  in  you  but  you  have  surpassed  my  hopes. 

"During  these  nine  days  of  hard  fighting  you  have  progressed 
nine  kilometers  through  powerful  organized  defenses,  taken  nearly 
600  prisoners,  15  guns  of  different  calibres,  20  minenwefers,  and 
nearly  150  machine  guns,  secured  an  enormous  amount  of  engineer- 
ing material,  an  important  supply  of  artiller;^  ammunition,  brought 
down  by  your  fire  three  enemy  aeroplanes. 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND  245 

''THE  'RED  HAND'  sign  of  the  Division,  thanks  to  you,  became 
a  bloody  hand  which  took  the  Boche  by  the  throat  and  made  him  cry 
for  mercy.    You  have  well  avenged  our  glorious  dead. 

(Signed)     GOYBET, 
General,  Commanding  157th  Division." 

But  even  greater  distinction  was  to  come.  On  the  following 
day,  October  8th,  Colonel  Tupes  of  the  372nd,  received  notice  that 
his  regiment  had  been  recommended  for  citation  in  the  general  orders 
of  the  French  Army.  Following  is  a  translation  of  the  official  order 
conveying  this  splendid  new^s : 

October  8,  1918. 
"157th  D.  I 
No.  5508 

"From:  Colonel  Quillet,  Commanding  157th  D.  I. 
To:        Colonel  Tupes,  Commanding  372nd  Infantry. 

"The  Colonel  Commanding  the  I.  D.  has  recommended  your 
regiment  for  citation  in  the  orders  of  the  French  Army  worded  as 
follows : 

"  'Gave  proof,  during  its  first  engagement,  of  the  finest  qual- 
ities of  bravery  and  daring  which  are  virtues  of  assaulting  troops. 

"  'Under  the  orders  of  Colonel  Tupes  dashed  with  superb  gal- 
lantry and  admirable  scorn  of  danger  to  the  assault  of  a  position  con- 
tinuously defended  by  the  enemy, — taking  it  by  storm  under  an  excep- 
tionally violent  machine  gun  fire.  Continued  the  progression  in  spite 
of  enemy  artillery  fire  and  very  severe  losses.  They  made  numerous 
prisoners,  captured  cannons,  machine  guns,  and  important  war  mate- 
rial. ' 

(Signed)     Quillet." 

On  October  8  General  Goybet  of  the  157th  Division,  in  a  com- 
munication addressed  to  the  commanding  officers  of  the  371st  and 
372nd  Infantry  Regiments,  U.   S.  A.,  said: 

"Your  troops  have  been  admirable  in  their  attack.  You  must 
be  proud  of  the  courage  of  your  officers  and  men ;  and  I  consider  it 
an  honor  to  have  them  under  my  command. 

"The  bravery  and  dash  of  your  regiment  won  the  admiration 
of  the  2nd  Moroccan  Division  who  are  themselves  versed  in  war- 


246  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

fare.  Thanks  to  you  during  tliose  hard  days.  The  Division  was  at 
all  times  in  advance  of  all  other  divisions  of  the  Army  Corps.  I 
am  sending  you  all  my  thanks  and  beg  you  to  transmit  them  to 
your  subordinates. 

"I  called  on  your  wounded.  Their  morale  is  higher  than  any 
praise.  Goybet.'' 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  at  the  date  this  communication  was  re- 
ceived, October  8,  1918,  the  372nd  had  on  its  roster  six  colored  line 
officers,  who  were  later  transferred  to  the  92nd  Division. 

After  the  Armistice 

On  the  day  of  the  signing  of  the  Armistice,  November  11, 
1918,  the  regiment  was  at  Ban-de-Laveline.  How  the  termination 
of  the  war  was  celebrated  is  told  by  Sergeant  Wm.  J.  Huntley  of 
the  372nd  Infantry,  whose  account  follows: 

**Ban-De-Laveline  has  today  the  signs  of  what  one  might  term 
a  ** contented,  mirthful,  and  prosperous  village.'  It  was  Ban-De- 
Laveline  before  the  war.  News  of  the  abdication  of  the  Kaiser,  a 
symbol  of  the  total  collapse  of  the  German  empire,  together  with 
the  official  announcement  of  the  signing  of  the  terms  of  the  armistice, 
putting  an  end  to  the  fifty  months  of  anguish,  brought  out  all  the 
legendary  light-heartedness  of  the  people  of  this  vicinity. 

**One  of  the  most  inspiring  scenes  I  ever  witnessed  was  today 
about  11 :05  A.  M.  The  Eegimental  band  played  'Marseillaise',  'The 
Star  Spangled  Banner'  and  'God  Save  the  King.'  As  soon  as  the 
last  note  was  sounded,  hilarious  cheers,  by  both  soldiers  and  civilians, 
were  almost  deafening.  Old  men  jumped  and  threw  up  their  hats, 
women,  whose  hearts  were  heavy  from  a  strain  caused  by  a  relent- 
less war,  waved  their  hands  and  aprons  in  exultant  joy  and  children 
romped  joyously  up  and  down  the  streets.  The  bell  and  chimes  on 
the  church,  which  had  been  previously  silent,  sent  their  resonant 
peals  far  and  near.  Indeed,  they  rang  out  'glad  tidings  of  joy.'  In 
the  meantime,  the  band  struck  up  a  lively  march  and  started  up  the 
street  followed  by  'Old  Glory',  the  regimental  colors  and  soldiers, 
Americans  and  French.  The  scene  was  a  beautiful  blending  of 
colors — the  khaki  and  the  blue.  It  seemed  as  if  they  wanted  to 
assemble  in  one  great  family  to  celebrate  the  glorious  events,  and 
to  see  the  reflection  of  their  own  gladness  in  the  faces  of  their  fellow 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND  247 

comrades.  The  street  was  filled  with  a  solid,  slowly-moving  and 
seething  mass  of  humanity.  It  appeared  to  me  that  the  brotherhood 
of  the  trenches  was  heralding  the  brotherhood  of  men. 

**I  should  have  mentioned  one  incident  in  connection  with  the 
parade,  namely:  When  the  band  marched  up  the  street  around  by 
the  church  toward  the  trenches,  which  was  only  about  two  kilo- 
meters, the  procession  was  met  by  a  party  bringing  to  the  infirmary 
a  Boche  who  had  been  captured  and  also  wounded  in  the  early  morn- 
ing by  our  boys.  This  party  joined  the  procession  and  in  regular 
cadence  these  stalwart  fellows  marched  in  review  with  their  Boche, 
who  later  was  the  occasion  of  much  curiosity.  I  am  quite  sure  this 
prisoner  rejoiced  silently  that  the  horribleness  of  such  hideous  work 
of  bestial  ferocity,  that  only  the  Germans  know,  was  at  an  end,  for 
according  to  his  own  statement  he  declared  his  comrades  were 
satisfied  with  peace  negotiations  and  also  stated  that  the  Kaiser 
must  abdicate.  Thankful  for  human  hearts,  he  was  not  allowed  to 
suffer  but  was  immediately  relieved  of  his  humiliation  and  pain — 
and  such  were  the  scenes,  mingled  with  sadness  and  gladness,  the 
most  inspiring,  significant,  and  most  impressive  I  have  ever  wit- 
nessed. 

**  Elaborate  preparations  were  made  for  the  grand  entertain- 
ment which  was  a  part  of  the  day's  program.  The  decorations, 
prepared  by  both  Americans  and  French,  were  as  pretentious  as 
though  prepared  for  the  metropolis  city  of  France.  At  nightfall 
the  streets  were  lighted  with  electricity  (a  thing  which  had  not 
been  done  since  the  beginning  of  the  war)  with  jack  o 'lanterns, 
lamps  and  flares  of  every  description.  Long  before  the  hour  to 
begin  the  program  the  theatre  was  filled  by  civilians  from  neigh- 
boring villages  and  with  soldiers  of  the  cantonment. 

**At  7:30  the  master  of  ceremonies  announced  the  beginning  of 
the  program  and  at  this  time  the  building's  seating  capacity  was  taxed 
to  its  utmost  and  standing  room  at  a  premium.  The  program  began 
with  an  overture  by  the  band.  The  significance  of  the  occasion,  a 
most  enthusiastic  audience  that  eagerly  waited,  the  contagious  glad- 
ness which  permeated  the  atmosphere,  created  an  environment  in 
which  the  band  has  never  appeared  to  better  advantage.  At  the 
conclusion  of  the  number,  men  and  women  applauded  frantically 
and  the  American  contingent  whistled  itself  breathless. 


248  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

*'Tlie  progTam  composed  of  solos,  quartettes,  dancing',  comic 
skit  by  our  boys  and  solos,  duets,  comic  monologues  and  a  pantomime 
with  characters  representing  Alsace,  Lorraine,  France,  and  America, 
by  the  French.  Some  of  these  were  entertaining  and  some  were 
otherwise.  But  considering  the  events  of  the  day,  not  one  left  dis- 
appointed and  felt  that  the  evening  was  spent  without  profit.  As  a 
closing  number,  CoiUns,  the  Caruso  of  the  Regiment,  sang  in  a 
pleasing  manner  ''Perfect  Day." 

''And  thus  Monday,  the  eleventh  day  of  the  eleventh  month, 
1918,  was  passed." 

The  praise  and  compliments  of  the  French  for  the  372nd  did 
not  terminate  with  the  cessation  of  hostihties,  for  on  November 
17th,  General  Vandenberger,  commanding  the  10th  Army  Corps, 
issued  the  following  general  order: 

November  17,   1918. 
"10th  Army  Corps. 
"Staff  (French) 

GENERAL  ORDER 

"It  has  been  an  honor  for  the  10th  Army  Corps  to  receive  and 
welcome  the  157th  Division  after  its  successes  in  Champagne. 

"During  the  few  weeks  that  the  Division  belonged  to  the  Army 
Corps  its  Regiments  of  Americans  and  French  have  by  their  con- 
duct and  biting  activity  produced  the  best  impression. 

"It  had  prepared  in  its  sector  the  ways  of  penetrating  in  Alsace 
and  it  should  have  deserved  the  honor  of  entering  it. 

"But  military  necessities  bring  today  the  higher  command 
to  consider  its  use  in  another  part  of  the  front  and  to  give  to  the 
Americans  a  part  of  the  front  facing  Belgium,  Luxemburg  and  a 
corner  of  Lorraine. 

"The  General  commanding  the  10th  Army  Corps  sees  with  pain 
the  gallant  Division  and  her  Chief  General  Goybet  move  away  from 
him.  He  cannot  defend  himself  from  the  painful  thought  that  Gen- 
eral Goybet  will  not  have  the  consolation  of  treading  with  his  Divi- 
sion that  reconquered  land  that  keeps  the  remains  of  one  of  his 
sons. 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND  249 

''To  all  he  wishes  good  luck  and  expresses  the  hope  of  meet- 
ing again  one  day. 

( Signed )     * '  Vandenberger 
*  *  General,  Commanding  the  10th  Army  Corps. ' ' 

When  the  orders  were  finally  issued  for  the  return  to  America 
of  the  371st  and  372nd,  Colonel  Quillet,  commanding  the  157th  Infan- 
try Division,  addressed  the  following  message  of  farewell  to  Colonel 
Miles  and  Colonel  Tupes,  commanders  respectively  of  these  two 
Negro  regiments:: 

December  15,  1918. 
''157th  Division 
"Staff  of  the  Infantry. 

ORDER  OF  THE  DIVISIONAL  INFANTRY  NO.  100 

"The  371st  and  372nd  Infantries  are  leaving  France  after  hav- 
ing carried  on  a  hard  campaign  of  six  months  with  the  I.  D.  157. 

"After  having  energetically  held  a  series  of  difficult  sectors,  they 
took  a  glorious  part  in  the  great  decisive  battle  which  brought  the 
final  Victory. 

"In  sector,  they  have  shown  an  endurance,  a  vigilance,  a  spirit 
of  devotion  and  a  remarkable  discipline. 

"In  battle  they  have  taken  by  storm,  with  a  magnificent  anima- 
tion, very  strong  positions  doggedly  defended  by  the  enemy. 

"In  contemplating  the  departure  of  these  two  fine  regiments 
which  I  commanded  w^ith  pride,  I  desire  to  tell  them  all  how  much 
I  think  of  them  and  also  to  thank  them  for  the  generous  and  precious 
concurrence  which  they  brought  to  us  at  the  decisive  period  of  the 
great  war. 

"I  shall  keep  always  in  my  soldier  heart  their  loyal  memories 
and  particularly  those  of  their  distinguished  commanders  who  have 
become  my  friends :    Colonel  Miles  and  Colonel  Tupes. 

( Signed )     Quillet.  ' ' 
' '  Commanding  the  I.  D.  157. 

On  the  same  day,  General  Goybet,  Commander  of  the  entire 
157th  Division  also  took  occasion  to  praise  the  work  of  these  Amer- 
ican fighters. 


250  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

H.  Q.,  December  15,  1918. 

"157tli  Dmsion 
Etat-Major. 

GENERAL  ORDERS  NO.  245 

"On  the  12th  of  December,  1918,  the  371st  and  372nd  R.  I.  U.  S. 
have  been  replaced  at  the  disposal  of  the  American  Higher  Command. 

**With  a  deep  feeling  of  emotion,  on  behalf  of  the  157th  Division, 
and  in  my  own  personal  name,  I  come  to  bid  farewell  to  our  brave 
comrades. 

**For  seven  months  we  have  lived  as  brothers  at  arms,  partak- 
ing in  the  same  activities,  sharing  the  same  hardships  and  the  same 
dangers.  Side  by  side  we  took  part  in  the  great  Champagne  Battle 
which  was  to  be  crowned  by  a  tremendous  victory. 

**  Never  will  the  157th  Division  forget  the  indomitable  dash, 
the  heroical  rush  of  the  American  Regiments  up  the  Observatory 
Ridge  and  into  the  plain  of  Monthois.  The  most  powerful  defenses, 
the  most  strongly  organized  M.  G.  nests,  the  heaviest  artillery  bar- 
rages, nothing  could  stop  them.  These  crack  regiments  overcame 
every  obstacle  with  a  most  complete  contempt  for  danger;  through 
their  steady  devotion  the  RED  HAND  Division,  for  nine  whole  days 
of  severe  struggle,  was  constantly  leading  the  way  for  the  victorious 
advance  of  the  4th  Army. 

*' Officers,  non-commissioned  officers,  and  men,  I  respectfully 
salute  our  glorious  comrades  who  have  fallen,  and  I  bow  to  your 
colours,  side  by  side  with  the  flag  of  the  333rd  Regiment  of  Infantry 
they  have  shown  us  the  way  to  VICTORY. 

**Dear  friends  from  America,  when  you  will  be  back  again  on  the 
other  side  of  the  ocean  don't  forget  the  Red  Hand  Division.  Our 
brotherhood  has  been  cemented  in  the  blood  of  the  brave  and  such 
bonds  will  never  be  destroyed. 

''Remxcmber  your  General  who  is  proud  of  having  commanded 
you,  and  be  sure  of  his  grateful  affection  to  you  all  for  ever. 

*' General  Goybet,  Commanding  the  157th  Division. 

( Signed )     Goybet.  ' ' 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND  251 

Washington  Men  Win  Honors 

In  the  372nd  Infantry  was  the  First  Battalion  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia  National  Guard,  whose  heroes  were  prevented  by 
the  Armistice  from  winning  added  glory.  It  would  have  fallen  to 
its  lot  to  have  the  honor  of  being  the  vanguard  of  the  French 
Army  of  Occupation.  Of  the  nearly  600  District  of  Columbia 
colored  men  who  were  with  the  372nd,  at  least  200  were  wounded 
more  or  less  seriously,  and  about  33  were  killed;  probably  the  first 
to  fall  with  a  fatal  wound  was  Private  Kenneth  Lewis. 

The  District  of  Columbia  men  proclaimed  Sergeant  Ira  Payne 
as  the  hero  of  heroes  among  the  District  of  Columbia  fighters. 
He  wears  the  Croix  de  Guerre  and  ''isn't  afraid  of  the  devil 
himself,"  according  to  the  men  of  his  company. 

Sergeant  Payne  speaks  modestly  of  his  exploits.  He  says: 
''During  the  fighting  at  Sechault  the  Germans  were  picking  off 
the  men  in  my  platoon  from  behind  a  bush.  The  Germans  had  sev- 
eral machine  guns  behind  that  bush  and  kept  up  a  deadly  fire  in 
spite  of  our  rifle  fire  directed  at  the  bush.  We  did  our  best  to 
stop  those  machine  guns,  but  the  German  aim  became  so  accurate 
that  they  were  picking  off  five  of  my  men  every  minute.  We 
couldn't  st-and  for  that,  so  I  decided  I  would  get  that  little  machine 
gun  nest  myself  and  I  went  after  it.  I  left  our  company,  detoured, 
and  by  a  piece  of  luck  got  behind  the  bush.  I  got  my  rifle  into 
action  and  'knocked  off'  two  of  those  German  machine  gunners. 
That  ended  it.  The  other  Germans  couldn't  stand  so  much  excite- 
ment. The  Boches  surrendered,  and  I  took  them  into  our  trenches 
as  prisoners." 

Another  hero  is  Benjamin  Butler,  a  private,  awarded  the 
Croix  de  Guerre.  His  citation  reads:  "For  displaying  gallantry 
and  bravery  and  distinguishing  himself  in  carrying  out  orders 
during  the  attack  on  Sechault  on  September  29,  1918,  under  heavy 
bombardment  and  machine  gun  fire."  Butler  said:  *'I  did  very 
little.  During  this  fight  with  several  others,  I  carried  dispatches 
to  the  first  line  trenches  from  headquarters.  They  decorated  me, 
I  suppose,  because  I  was  the  only  one  lucky  enough  to  escape  being 
knocked  off." 


252  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Private  Charles  E.  Crass  was  awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre 
for  *'his  speed  and  reliability  in  carrying  orders  to  platoons  in 
the  first  line  under  the  enemy's  bombardment  on  September  29, 
1918."  ''In  some  cases,"  Cross  said,  "I  had  to  creep  across 
No-Man 's-Land,  and  a  greater  part  of  the  time  I  was  exposed  to 
enemy  fire."  « 

First  Sergeant  John  A.  Johnson  was  termed  in  his  citation 
and  award  of  the  Croix  de  Guerre  *'a  heroic  soldier."  ''Near 
Sechault,  during  the  time  the  District  men  were  making  a  big 
effort  to  capture  the  town,  I  was  put  in  the  front  line  not  fifty 
feet  away  from  the  enemy,"  Johnson  reports.  "A  greater  part 
of  the  time  I  was  exposed  to  machine-gun  fire.  I  suppose  I  got 
my  medal  just  because  I  stuck  with  my  men.  Quite  a  few  District 
boys  were  bumped  off  at  this  point." 

Private  William  H.  Braxton,  a  member  of  the  Machine  Gun 
Company  of  the  regiment,  received  the  Croix  de  Guerre  for  dis- 
playing "zealous  bravery."  "An  enemy  party,"  his  citation  reads, 
"having  filtered  through  his  platoon  and  attacked  same  in  rear. 
Private  Braxton  displayed  marked  gallantry  in  opening  fire  on 
the  enemy  and  killing  one  and  wounding  several  others,  finally 
dispersing  the  entire  party."  "The  men  who  stuck  by  me  when 
death  stared  them  in  their  faces,  deserve  just  as  much  credit  as  I," 
Braxton  said.    "I  Avas  only  temporary  leader  of  the  men." 

The  official  list  of  the  Washington  men  of  the  First  Separate 
Battalion  of  the  District  of  Columbia  who  were  decorated  follows : 
First  Sergeant  John  A.  Johnson,  Company  B;  First  Sergeant  Ira 
A.  Payne,  Company  A;  Sergeant  James  A.  Marshall,  Company  B; 
Sergeant  Norman  Jones,  Company  B;  Sergeant  Hom.er  Crabtree, 
Company  B;  Sergeant  Norman  Winsmore,  Company  C;  Corporal 
John  R.  ^Vliite,  Company  B;  Corporal  Benjamin  Butler,  Company 
C;  Corporal  March  Graham,  Company  D;  Private  Warwick  Alex- 
ander, Company  B;  Private  George  H.  Budd,  Company  B;  Private 
Thomas  A.  Frederick,  Company  B;  Private  John  S.  Parks,  Com- 
pany B ;  Private  Charles  H.  Murphy,  Company  C ;  Private  William 
N.  Mathew,  Company  D;  Private  Ernest  Payne,  Company  D; 
Private  Joseph  McKamey,  Company  A;  Private  William  Dicker- 
son,  Company  A;  Sergeant  Major  Samuel  B.  AVebster. 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND  253 

Decoration  of  the  Regiment 

A  special  correspondent  of  the  Paris  edition  of  the  New  York 
Herald  transmitted  a  report  to  that  publication  of  the  distin- 
guished honors  shown  the  372nd  when  Vice  Admiral  Moreau,  French 
Conmiander  of  the  Port  of  Brest,  decorated  the  colors  of  the 
regiment  with  the  Croix  de  Guerre  and  palm  for  distinguished 
service  in  the  Champagne  offensive,  just  before  the  regiment  sailed 
for  America.  During  September  and  October,  1918,  individual 
honors  had  been  previously  conferred  as  chronicled  above.  The 
ceremonies  in  which  Vice  Admiral  Moreau  took  part  were  held  at 
Cours  Dajot,  overlooking  the  Port  of  Commerce  and  was  wit- 
nessed by  thousands  of  French  civilians  and  soldiers  and  sailors 
of  several  nations. 

The  Herald  report  says:  "The  American  fighters,  numbering 
about  3,000,  were  with  the  famous  French  'Red  Hand'  division. 
They  became  heroes  on  many  fighting-fronts,  and  were  in  the 
Vosges  Mountains  when  the  Armistice  was  signed. 

''Vice  Admiral  Moreau  arrived  at  about  2:30.  Major  General 
Helmick,  of  the  xlmerican  post  of  Brest,  was  present  as  a  spec- 
tator. The  regimental  band  added  much  to  the  program  with 
'Keep  the  Home  Fires  Burning,'  patriotic  selections,  and  'Caesar's 
Triumphal  March.' 

"The  basis  of  this  citation  was  included  in  the  Army  orders 
in  favor  of  the  372nd  Infantry,  which  Colonel  Quillet,  commanding 
the  I.  D.  of  the  157th,  submitted  to  the  Commanding  General  after 
the  Champagne  offensive  battle. 

"The  substance  of  Colonel  Quillet's  commendation  was  in- 
cluded in  Admiral  Moreau 's  words,  to  the  regiment. 

"After  the  delivery  of  the  Croix  de  Guerre  to  the  regiment, 
Admiral  Moreau  conferred  the  Croix  de  Guerre  and  palm  on 
Adjutant  Walsh  and  read  quotations  from  Colonel  Quillet's  com- 
mendations quoted  above,  dated  and  signed  December  15,  1918." 

A  Monument  to  the  Dead 

The  regiment  did  not  immediately  leave  France,  however.  While 
waiting  for  transport,  it  was  decided  by  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
regiment  that  they  would  erect  a  monument  with  the  permission 


254  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  the  French  Government,  to  mark  the  ground  on  which  so  many 
of  their  comrades  had  fallen  in  battle.  For  the  carrying  out  of 
this  plan,  General  Goybet  and  Colonel  Quillet  were  requested  to  act 
as  Trustees  for  the  regimental  monument  fund,  in  the  following  com- 
munication from  Colonel  Tupes: 

'^HEADQUAETERS  372nd  INFANTRY 

Forwarding  Camp, 

A.  P.  0.  762. 

January  9,  1919. 
''From:  Commanding  Officer. 

''To  General  Mariano  Goybet  and  Colonel  Augustin  Quillet. 
"Subject:  Trusteeship  for  Monument. 

"1.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  officers  and  enlisted  men  of  this 
regiment  to  erect  a  monument  upon  the  ground  where  we  have  fought 
in  memory  of  those  who  have  fallen  on  the  field  of  battle.  In  order 
to  accompUsh  this,  it  is  necessary  that  the  regiment  have  representa- 
tives residing  in  France.  Due  to  the  high  regard  we  have  for  our 
former  French  Commanders,  it  is  the  request  of  all  ranks  of  the 
regiment  that  General  Mariano  Goybet,  commanding  the  157th  D.  I. 
and  Colonel  Augustin  Quillet,  commanding  the  157th  I.  D.,  act  as 
trustees  of  a  fund  that  has  been  donated  by  all  ranks  for  the  erection 
and  maintenance  of  a  monument.  The  fund,  consisting  of  10,744 
francs,  has  been  deposited  wdth  the  Credit  Lyonnais  at  Le  Mans 
Sarthe,  to  the  credit  of  the  above  mentioned  trustees.  The  trust 
fund  so  deposited  is  for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  site,  purchasing 
and  erecting  a  monument  upon  the  site,  erecting  a  suitable  fence  or 
safeguard  for  the  monument  and  covering  all  expenses  incidental 
to  the  purchasing,  erection  and  maintenance  of  the  monument  and 
fence  or  safeguard  and  for  making  and  forwarding  a  limited  num- 
ber of  photographs  of  the  monument  after  it  is  erected. 

"2.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  members  of  the  regiment  that  the 
monument  shall  be  a  plain  shaft  of  granite  or  other  durable  stone 
with  the  following  inscription  in  English: 

•ffn  fiDemor^  of  tbe  flDembere  of  tbe 

372n&  in,  S,  llnfantr^,  lRtllc^  in  Hction  September  26, 

1918,  to  ©ctober  7,  1918 


THE  RECORD  OF  THE  372ND  255 

''3.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  regiment  that  the  monument  be 
erected  if  practicable,  in  a  conspicuous  place  near  a  public  roadway 
and  near  the  most  forward  point  of  the  advance  of  the  regiment. 
It  is  the  request  of  the  regiment  that  the  two  trustees  take  all  legal 
measures  to  put  the  above  in  full  force  with  the  least  possible  delay. 

*'4.  It  is  requested  that  24  photographs  of  the  monument,  taken 
after  its  erection  on  the  site  selected,  be  forwarded  to  the  present 
Commanding  Officer  of  the  372nd  U.  S.  Infantry. 

'^Heeschel  Tupes, 

Colonel  Infantry." 

The  trust  was  accepted  by  the  Gallant  French  officers,  and  under 
their  direction  there  is  to  be  erected  in  France  a  massive  granite 
memorial  to  the  heroic  American  Negroes  of  the  372nd.  May  they 
rest  in  peace! 


CHAPTER  X\^II 

NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR 

The  Exploit  of  Henry  Johnson  and  Needharn  Roberts — How  one 
American  Soldier  in  No  Man's  Land  Killed  Four  Germans  and 
Wounded  Twenty-eight  Others  Single  Handed — First  Amer- 
ican Soldiers  to  Receive  the  French  Croix  de  Guerre — Other 
Instances  of  Individual  Heroism  hy  Negro  Soldiers. 

There  is  no  prouder  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  Negro  race 
than  the  records  of  the  American  and  French  Armies  that  tell  of 
the  heroic  exploits  of  colored  soldiers,  exploits  that  rank  with  the 
most  glorious  examples  of  individual  courage  and  devotion  to  duty 
in  all  history.  The  names  of  these  men  who,  through  their  per- 
sonal bravery  and  daring,  won  the  coveted  Distinguished  Service 
Cross  of  the  American  Army  or  the  no  less  significant  Croix  de 
Guerre  (Cross  of  War)  of  the  French,  will  live  forever  in  the  annals 
of  the  race. 

The  first  American  soldiers  of  any  race,  white  or  black,  to 
receive  the  French  Croix  de  Guerre,  were  Henry  Johnson  of  Albany, 
N.  Y.  and  Needham  Roberts,  of  Trenton,  N.  J.  Both  men  were 
privates  in  the  369th  Infantry,  the  old  Fifteenth  New  York  National 
Guard  regiment.  This  regiment  was  brigaded  with  French  troops 
and  early  in  May,  1918,  with  other  American  Negro  detachments, 
was  put  in  charge  of  a  long  sector  of  the  front  line  trenches.  The 
event  that  gave  to  Johnson  and  Roberts  the  honor  of  being  the 
first  Americans  to  win  the  French  War  Cross  is  best  described  in 
a  letter  which  Colonel  William  Hayward  wrote  to  Mrs.  Edna  John- 
son, the  wife  of  Private  (now  Sergeant)  Johnson.  Colonel  Hay- 
ward's  letter  follows: 

Colonel  Hayward  to  Mrs.  Johnson 

''Your  husband.  Private  Henry  Johnson  is  in  my  regiment, 
369th  United  States  infantry,  formerly  the  Fifteenth  New  York  infan- 
try.   He  has  been  at  all  times  a  good  soldier  and  a  good  boy  of  fine 

256 


NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR  257 

morale  and  upright  character.  To  these  admirable  traits  he  has 
lately  added  the  most  convincing  numbers  of  fine  courage  and  fight- 
ing ability.  I  regret  to  say  at  the  moment  that  he  is  in  the  hospital, 
seriously,  but  not  dangerously  wounded,  the  wounds  having  been 
received  under  such  circumstances  that  every  one  of  us  in  the  regi- 
ment would  be  pleased  and  proud  to  trade  places  with  him.  It  was 
as  follows: 

''He  and  Private  Needham  Roberts  were  on  guard  together  at 
a  small  outpost  on  the  front  line  trench  near  the  German  lines  and 
during  the  night  a  strong  raiding  party  of  Germans  numbering 
from  twelve  to  twenty  judging  by  the  weapons,  clothing  and  para- 
phernalia they  left  behind  and  by  their  footprints,  stole  across  No 
Man's  Land  and  made  a  surprise  attack  in  the  dead  of  the  night  on 
our  two  brave  soldiers. 

Fighting  Against  Great  Odda 

**We  had  learned  some  time  ago  from  captured  German  prison- 
ers that  the  Germans  had  heard  of  the  regiment  of  Black  Amer- 
icans in  this  sector,  and  the  German  officers  had  told  their  men 
how  easy  to  combat  and  capture  them  it  would  be.  So  this  raiding 
party  came  over,  and  on  the  contrary  Henry  Johnson  and  Needham 
Roberts  attended  very  strictly  to  their  duties.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  attack  the  Germans  fired  a  volley  of  bullets  and  grenades  and 
both  of  the  boys  were  wounded,  your  husband  three  times  and 
Roberts  twice,  then  the  Germans  rushed  the  post,  expecting  to  make 
an  easy  capture.  In  spite  of  their  wounds,  the  two  boys  waited  coolly 
and  courageously  and  when  the  Germans  were  within  striking  dis- 
tance opened  fire,  your  husband  with  his  rifle  and  Private  Roberts 
from  his  helpless  position  on  the  ground  with  hand  grenades.  But 
the  German  raiding  party  came  on  in  spite  of  their  wounded  and  in 
a  few  seconds  our  boys  were  at  grips  with  the  terrible  foe  in  a 
desperate  hand-to-hand  encounter,  in  which  the  enemy  outnumbered 
them  ten  to  one. 

*'The  boys  inflicted  great  loss  on  the  enemy,  but  Roberts  was 
overpowered  and  about  to  be  carried  away  when  your  husband,  who 
had  used  up  all  of  the  cartridges  in  the  maga2dne  of  his  rifle  and 
had  knocked  one  German  down  with  the  butt  end  of  it,  drew  his  bolo 
from  his  belt.  A  bolo  is  a  short  heavy  weapon  carried  by  the  American 


258  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

soldier,  with  the  edge  of  a  razor,  the  weight  of  a  cleaver  and  the 
point  of  a  butcher  knife.  He  rushed  to  the  rescue  of  his  former 
comrade,  and  fighting  desperately,  opened  with  his  bolo  the  head 
of  the  German  who  was  throttling  Roberts,  and  turned  to  the  boche 
who  had  Roberts  by  the  feet,  plunging  the  bolo  into  the  German's 
bowels.  This  one  was  the  leader  of  the  German  party,  and  on 
receiving  what  must  have  been  this  mortal  wound,  exclaimed  in  Amer- 
ican English,  without  a  trace  of  accent,  "Oh,  the  son  of  a got 

me,"  thus  proving  that  he  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  so-called 
German- Americans  who  came  to  our  country,  not  to  become  a  good 
citizen,  but  to  partake  of  its  plenty  and  bounty  and  then  return  to 
fight  for  the  kaiser  and  help  enslave  the  world.  He  was  doubtless 
selected  as  a  leader  of  the  party  to  speak  English  and  perhaps  fool 
my  soldiers,  calling  to  them  in  English  not  to  fire,  that  it  was  a 
friend. 

Knifing  the  Hun 

*' Henry  laid  about  him  right  and  left  with  his  heavy  knife,  and 
Eoberts,  released  from  the  grasp  of  the  scoundrels,  began  again 
to  throw  hand  grenades  and  exploded  them  in  their  midst,  and  the 
Germans,  doubtless  thinking  it  was  a  host  instead  of  two  brave 
Colored  boys  fighting  like  tigers  at  bay,  picked  up  their  dead  and 
wounded  and  slunk  away,  leaving  many  weapons  and  part  of  their 
shot  riddled  clothing,  and  leaving  a  trail  of  blood,  which  we  followed 
at  dawn  near  to  their  lines.  We  feel  certain  that  one  of  the  enemy 
was  killed  by  rifle  fire,  two  by  your  husband's  bolo,  one  by  grenades 
thrown  by  Private  Roberts  and  several  others  grievously  wounded. 
So  it  was  in  this  way  the  Germans  found  the  Black  Americans. 
Both  boys  have  received  a  citation  of  the  French  general  command- 
ing the  splendid  French  division  in  which  my  regiment  is  now  serv- 
ing and  will  receive  the  Croix  de  Guerre  (Cross  of  War).  The 
citation  translated,  is  as  follows: 

**  First — Johnson,  Henry  (13348),  private  in  company  C,  being 
on  double  sentry  duty  during  the  night  and  having  been  assaulted 
by  a  group  composed  of  at  least  one  dozen  Germans,  shot  and  dis- 
abled one  of  them  and  grievously  wounded  two  others  with  his  bolo. 
In  spite  of  three  wounds  with  pistol  bullets  and  grenades  at  the 
beginning  of  the  fight,  this  man  ran  to  the  assistance  of  his  wounded 
comrade  who  was  about  to  be  carried  away  prisoner  by  the  enemy, 


NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR  259 

and  continued  to  figlit  up  to  the  retreat  of  the  Germans.  He  has 
given  a  beautiful  example  of  courage  and  activity. 

''Second — Roberts,  Needham  (13369),  x^i'ivate  in  Company  C, 
being  on  double  sentry  duty  during  the  night  was  assaulted  and 
grievously  wounded  in  his  leg  by  a  group  of  Germans  continuing 
fighting  by  throwing  grenades,  although  he  was  prone  on  the  ground, 
up  to  the  retreat  of  the  enemy.  Good  and  brave  soldier.  The  general 
requested  that  the  citation  of  the  division  commander  to  the  soldier 
Johnson  be  changed  to  the  citation  of  the  orders  of  the  Army. 

*  *  Some  time  ago  the  great  General  Gouraud  placed  in  my  hands 
the  sum  of  100  francs  to  be  sent  to  the  family  of  the  first  one  of  my 
soldiers  wounded  in  the  fight  vnth  the  enemy  under  heroic  circum- 
stances. Inasmuch  as  these  boys  were  wounded  simultaneously,  and 
both  displayed  great  heroism,  I  think  it  but  fair  to  send  to  each 
one-half  of  this  sum.  Accordingly  I  am  enclosing  New  York  ex- 
change for  the  equivalent  of  fifty  francs.  I  am  sure  that  you  have 
made  a  splendid  contribution  to  the  cause  of  liberty  by  giving  your 
husband  to  your  country,  and  it  is  my  hope  and  prayer  to  bring 
him  back  to  you  safe  and  sound,  together  with  as  many  comrades 
as  it  is  humanly  possible  by  care  and  caution  to  conserve  and  bring 
back  to  America.  But  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  we  cannot  all 
eome  back,  that  none  of  us  can  come  back  until  the  job  is  done." 

Whole  Regiments  Decorated 

Four  Negro  regiments  won  the  signal  honor  of  being  awarded 
the  Croix  de  Guerre  as  a  regiment.  These  were  the  365th,  the 
369th,  the  371st  and  the  372nd.  The  369th  (old  15th  New  York 
National  Guard)  was  especially  honored  for  its  record  of  191 
days  on  the  firing  line,  exceeding  by  five  days  the  term  of  service 
at  the  front  of  any  other  American  regiment. 

Among  the  honors  which  France  has  bestowed  upon  American 
soldiers  none  is  more  interesting  than  the  ** citation"  by  which  the 
entire  365th  Regiment  was  given  the  coveted  Croix  de  Guerre.  The 
citation  was  for  gallantry  in  the  September  and  October  offensives 
in  the  Champagne  sector.  By  command  of  General  Martin,  com- 
manding the  92nd  Division,  General  Orders  were  issued  commend- 
ing a  number  of  colored  officers,  non-commissioned  officers,  and 
privates  of  the  365th  Infantry  for  meritorious  conduct  in  action 


260  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

at  Bois  Frehaut,  near  Pont-a-Mousson,  November  10  and  11,  1918, 
during  the  drive  on  Metz.  Those  named  in  this  General  Order 
were  Captain  John  H.  Allen,  First  Lieutenants  Leon  F.  Stewart, 
Frank  L.  Diye,  Walter  Lyons,  David  W.  Harris,  Benj.  F.  Ford; 
Second  Lieutenants  George  L.  Gaines  and  Russell  C.  Atkins; 
Sergeants  Richard  W.  White,  John  Simpson,  Robert  Townsend^ 
Solomon  D.  Colston,  Ransom  Elliott,  and  Charles  Jackson;  Cor- 
porals Thomas  B.  Coleman,  Albert  Taylor,  Charles  Reed,  and 
James  Conley;  and  Privates  Earl  Swanson,  Jesse  Cole,  James  Hill, 
Charles  White,  and  George  Chaney.  In  the  same  General  Orders 
the  following  were  cited  for  bravery  in  action:  Sergeant  Isaac 
Hill,  braA^eiy  displayed  at  Frapelle;  First  Lieutenant  John  Q. 
Lindsey,  for  bravery  at  Lesseux,  both  of  the  366th  Infantry,  and 
First  Lieutenant  Edward  Bates  of  the  368th  Am.bulance  Corps, 
and  Sergeant  Walter  L.  Gross  of  the  266th  Infantry,  for  distin- 
guished service  near  Hominville. 

Individual  Awards  for  Bravery 

Among  the  first  men  in  the  92nd  Division  to  receive  the 
Distinguished  Service  Cross  for  bravery  in  the  fighting  in  the 
Argonne  was  First  Lieutenant  Robert  L.  Campbell.  He  was  twice 
cited  for  bravery  in  a  single  battle.  Another  instance  of  his 
bravery  is  told,  when  it  became  necessary  to  send  a  runner  with  a 
message  to  the  left  flank  of  an  Ajnerican  firing  line.  The  way 
was  across  an  open  field  swept  by  heavy  machine-gun  fire.  Volun- 
teers were  called  for.  Private  Edward  Saunders  of  Company  ''I" 
responded.  Before  he  had  gone  far  a  shell  cut  him  down,  when 
Lieutenant  Campbell  sprang  to  his  rescue  and  carried  his  man 
back  to  the  American  lines.  For  the  valor  shown  both  were  cited 
for  the  Distinguished  Service  Cross.  Before  entering  the  army 
Campbell  was  instructor  in  mechanical  engineering  at  the  Agri- 
cultural and  Technical  College  at  Greensboro,  North  Carolina. 

Another  single  detail  taken  from  the  record  of  this  same 
company  is  the  instance  of  John  Baker;  having  volunteered,  he 
was  taking  a  message  through  heavy  shell  fire  to  another  part  of 
the  line ;  a  shell  struck  his  hand,  tearing  away  part  of  it,  but  he  unfal- 
teringly delivered  the  message. 

First  Lieutenant   T.   M.   Dent  was  promoted  to  a  captaincy. 


NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR  261 

On  September  28,  1918,  Dent  led  his  platoon  in  a  most  heroic 
charge  and  captured  a  Geraian  machine  gun  which  covered  the 
bridge  crossing  the  Vallee  Moreau,  the  key  to  the  battle  at  this 
point.  Captain  Dent  gained  the  highest  rank  of  any  officer  in  the 
92nd  Division  under  23  years  of  age.  He  was  also  mentioned  by 
Major-General  Ballou  as  follows:  "The  Commanding  General 
desires  to  call  the  attention  of  the  entire  command  to  the  excellent 
work  and  meritorious  conduct  of  Captain  K.  A.  Williams  and  First 
Lieutenant  T.  M.  Dent,  both  of  the  368th  Infantry.  During  the 
days  of  the  fight  around  Vieime-le-Chateau  both  of  tliese  officers 
displayed  courage  and  leadership  and  through  their  conduct  should 
be  an  example  to  the  other  officers  of  the  division." 

In  another  General  Order  Second  Lieutenant  Nathan  0.  Good- 
loe  of  the  368th  Machine  Gun  Company  was  commended  for  ex- 
cellent work  and  meritorious  conduct.  During  the  operations  in 
the  Argonne  Forest  Lieutenant  Goodloe  was  attached  to  the  3rd 
Battalion;  during  the  course  of  the  action  it  became  necessary  to 
reorganize  the  battalion  and  withdraw  part  of  it  to  a  secondary 
position.  He  carried  out  the  movement  under  a  continual  machine- 
gun  fire  from  the  enemy.  General  Martin  said  of  him :  * '  Lieutenant 
Goodloe 's  calm  courage  set  an  example  that  inspired  confidence 
in  his  men." 

General  Martin  also  cited  for  meritorious  conduct  near  Vienne- 
le-Chateau,  Tom  Brown,  a  wagoner,  who  as  driver  of  an  annnuui- 
tion  wagon,  displayed  remarkable  courage,  coolness,  and  devotion 
to  duty  under  fire.  Brown  hauled  his  wagon,  even  after  his  horse 
had  been  hurled  into  a  ditch  by  shells,  and  despite  his  own  painful 
wounds,  worked  until  he  had  extricated  his  horse  from  the  ditch, 
refusing  to  quit  until  he  had  completed  his  work,  even  though 
covered  with  blood  from  a  painful  wound. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  Edward  Jones  faced  a  direct  machine-gun 
fire  to  care  for  a  wounded  soldier.  A  man  was  killed  within  a  few 
yards  of  him.    For  this  deed  he  was  awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre. 

When  Pershing's  infantry  swept  the  Huns  from  the  St.  Mihiel 
salient  September  12  and  13,  the  veteran  Pennsylvania  machine 
gunners  and  automatic  riflemen  were  in  the  van.  Prominent  in  the 
attack  were  Lieutenant  John  H.  Geisel,  who  was  wounded  on  the 


262  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

first  day  of  action,  and  Corporal  David  E.  Binkley  of  Lancaster, 
who  were  recommended  for  a  Distinguished  Service  Cross. 

Awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre 

The  following  officers  and  privates  from  different  regiments 
were  awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre: 

Although  severely  wounded  in  action  near  Lesseau,  France,  on 
September  4,  1918,  Private  Ed  Merryfield  of  Greenville,  Illinois, 
remained  at  his  post  and  continued  to  fight  a  superior  enemy  force 
which  had  attempted  to  enter  our  lines,  thereby  preventing  the 
success  of  an  enemy  raid  in  force. 

Sergeant  Duncan,  formerly  an  elevator  operator  in  a  depart- 
ment store  in  Philadelphia,  took  over  the  command  of  his  platoon 
when  the  platoon  sergeant  was  killed  and  the  officer  wounded.  He 
was  awarded  the  French  War  Cross  and  four  hundred  francs. 

Captain  Napoleon  B.  Marshall,  a  graduate  of  the  Washing-ton 
High  School  and  Harvard  Law  School  and  an  attorney  of  New 
York  City,  served  on  the  firing  line,  where  he  was  gassed  and  sent 
to  the  hospital.  Returning  to  the  battle  he  was  wounded  from  shell 
fire  on  October  21,  1918,  in  a  night  raid  south  of  Metz  in  an  effort 
to  capture  a  machine-gun  position. 

Sailor  Edward  Donahue  Pierson  was  wounded  when  the 
U.  S.  S.  ''Mount  Vernon*'  was  torpedoed  off  the  coast  of  France; 
he  is  the  son  of  Professor  and  Mrs.  E.  D.  Pierson,  his  father  being 
head  of  the  Science  Department  of  the  Colored  High  School  in 
Houston,  Texas. 

Lieutenant  L.  E.  Shaw  was  in  one  of  the  most  exposed  centers 
of  the  fighting,  being  under  terrific  artilleiy  fire  and  the  fire  of 
two  German  machine  guns.  He  handled  this  very  difficult  situation 
with  cool  bravery.  The  enemy  barrage  was  so  close  that  it  was 
impossible  to  stand  up  and  Lieutenant  Shaw  controlled  his  guns 
by  rolling  from  one  to  the  other;  his  two  guns  fired  5,000  rounds. 
Lieutenant  R.  C.  Grame  was  in  command  of  the  group  which 
received  the  brunt  of  the  enemy  fire  which,  besides  the  barrage, 
added  a  heavy  fire  of  large  minenwerfers.  There  was  no  flinching — 
the  troops  always  working  under  perfect  control  and  keeping  all 
combat  posts  manned,  though  three  men  were  knocked  down  by 
the  explosion  of  shells.     Private  Howard  Gaillard,  with  a   small 


NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR  263 

rapid-fire  piece,  was  unable  from  position  to  get  a  good  fire  to 
bear  upon  the  advancing  enemy  groups,  so  he  coolly  and  with 
entire  disregard  of  danger  mounted  the  parapet  and  while  enemy 
bullets  were  flying  around  him,  fired  his  rapid-fire  piece  from  the 
hip,  first  at  one  gi-oup  and  then  at  the  other.  Privates  Smithfield 
Jones  and  George  Woods  were  specially  mentioned  for  their  cool- 
ness in  the  face  of  violent  shelling  when  they  dismounted  their 
machine  guns  and  then  reassembled  them  and  continued  firing 
until  the  close  of  the  action.  There  were  other  instances  of  rare 
bravery  and  Private  Sanders,  Corporals  Prank  Harden  and  Bean 
and  Sergeant  G.  A.  Morton  were  also  specially  mentioned. 

Dr.  Claudius  Ballard,  a  colored  physician  of  Los  Angeles, 
received  the  Croix  de  Guerre  for  work  in  the  Belgian  drive ;  Henry 
P.  Cheatham.,  son  of  former  Congressman  Henry  P.  Cheatham  of 
North  Carolina,  for  distinguished  service  in  action  under  the  French 
General  Rondeau,  Commandant  of  I'Infanterie  de  la  59th  Di\'ision, 
with  which  the  370th  Infantry  was  brigaded,  and  Captain  Samuel 
R.  Gwynne,  commanding  officer  of  the  Third  Machine  Gun  Com- 
pany for  loyalty  and  braver)^  in  action,  having  led  his  men  over 
the  top  after  having  been  wounded  twice. 

For  extraordinary  heroism  under  fire  124  soldiers  of  the 
371st  and  372nd  Infantry  have  been  decorated  by  the  French 
authorities.  Four  received  the  Croix  de  Guerre.  Several  exploits 
stand  out  prominently.  Sergeant  Depew  Pryor,  Coi*poral  Clifton 
Morrison,  Privates  Clarence  Van  Allen  and  Kenneth  Lewis  were 
awarded  the  Medaille  Militaire.  All  except  the  last  mentioned  were 
Massachusetts  boys  and  belonged  to  the  same  company.  Lewis  is 
dead,  having  been  killed  at  his  post  by  hand  grenades.  He  took 
from  the  Germans  a  machine  gun  while  it  was  in  action  on  Bussy 
Farm  in  the  Champagne  district.    Lewis  was  from  Washington,  D.  C. 

Sergeant  Robert  Terry  and  Sergeant  Charles  Hughes  were 
in  a  big  raid  and  went  ahead  in  spite  of  a  terrible  barrage  fire 
from  the  enemy.  Over  the  top  they  went  and  it  was  due  to  their 
coolness  under  fire  that  all  objectives  were  gained. 

Private  George  Byrd  was  in  coimnand  of  a  mortar  near 
Verdun.  He  rendered  valuable  assistance  to  a  raiding  party  by 
cutting  wires  so  that  the  party  could  advance  into  enemy  territory. 
The  mortar  he  was  firing  had  not  been  securely  placed  and  it  began 


264  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

to  jump  about.  In  order  to  secure  a  steady  aim  Byrd  sat  on  it 
while  it  was  piping  hot  and  continued  to  shoot  by  feeding  the  gun 
from  behind.  In  the  same  company  with  Byrd  was  Corporal  Eyre 
who  received  the  cross  for  bravery  under  fire. 

Sergeant  George  H.  Jordan  received  the  Croix  de  Guerre  and 
palm  for  taking  command  of  an  ammunition  train  at  Verdun  on 
October  5,  1918,  when  the  commanding  officer  had  been  killed  by  a 
Bhell;  he  saved  and  brought  through  eight  of  the  seventeen  wagons 
of  the  train. 

Private  Eeuben  Burrell,  of  a  machine  gun  company  with  the 
371st  Regiment,  was  cited  for  extraordinary  heroism  in  action  in 
the  Champagne  sector,  September  30,  1918,  and  Private  Ellison 
Moses  of  Company  C  went  forward  and  rescued  wounded  soldiers, 
working  persistently  until  all  of  them  had  been  carried  to  shelter 
after  his  company  had  been  forced  to  withdraw  from  an  advanced 
position;  all  the  while  he  was  under  severe  machine-gun  and  artil- 
lery fire.  For  such  services  these  heroes  also  were  given  the 
Croix  de  Guerre. 

Private  James  Williams  was  a  member  of  Company  C,  of  the 
369th,  and  it  was  in  the  attack  of  his  regiment  on  ''Snake  Hill"  in 
the  Champagne  sector  that  he  exhibited  the  valor  for  which  he  was 
awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre. 

Private  Tom  Rivers,  of  Company  G,  366th  Infantry,  was  cited 
by  the  commanding  general  of  the  American  forces  in  France  "for 
extraordinary  heroism  in  action."  Although  gassed  he  volunteered 
and  carried  important  messages  through  heavy  barrages  and  re- 
fused aid  until  his  company  was  relieved. 

Heroes  of  "The  Old  Eighth"  Decorated 

The  Distinguished  Service. Cross  has  been  awarded  to  the  fol- 
lowing soldiers  attached  to  the  old  8th  Illinois  Regiment.  Copies 
of  citations  follow: 

Private  Tom  Powell  (deceased)  for  extraordinary  heroism 
in  action  near  Beaume,  France,  November  8,  1918.  He  repeatedly 
carried  messages  under  severe  fire  to  the  various  units  in  the 
\icinity  of  his  company,  until  he  was  killed  in  the  performance  of 
his  duty. 


NEGRO  HP:R0ES  OF  THE  WAR  2C5 

Private  Spirley  Irby  carried  messages  to  tlie  various  units  in 
his  vicinity  under  severe  enemy  fire.    He  was  badly  wounded. 

Private  Alfred  Williamson  of  the  Medical  Detachment  was 
assigned  to  duty  at  the  first-aid  station,  but  volunteered  to  accom- 
pany the  attacking  lines  to  more  expeditiously  attend  to  the 
wounded.  During  the  advance  he  constantly  exposed  himself  to 
the  enemy  fire  to  render  first  aid. 

Acting  as  ammunition  carrier,  Private  Arthur  Johnson  re- 
ceived a  painful  injury  in  the  back  from  a  shell  fragment.  While 
engaged  in  carrying  ammunition  he  found  a  wounded  man  in  an 
exposed  position,  and,  regardless  of  his  own  wound,  carried  this 
man  under  heavy  fire  to  the  first-aid  station,  a  distance  of  more 
than  a  kilometer,  returning  to  his  work  immediately  afterward. 

Private  Charles  T.  Monroe,  afterward  promoted  to  Sergeant, 
in  the  absence  of  a  platoon  commander  took  charge  of  a  platoon 
of  Stokes  mortars,  directing  the  work  of  the  men  under  hea\7' 
shell  fire.  Although  the  shelling  was  so  intense  that  guns  were 
at  times  buried,  Sergeant  Monroe  and  his  men  worked  unceasingly 
in  placing  them  back  into  action.  He  himself  was  buried  by  the 
explosion  of  a  shell,  but  on  being  dug  out  continued  to  direct  the 
work  of  the  men  and  encouraged  them  by  his  fearless  example. 

During  the  action  at  Mont-de-Sanges,  September  20  to  October 
1,  1918,  Sergeant  Thompson,  then  a  corporal,  volunteered  and 
took  charge  of  a  detail  to  secure  rations.  He  succeeded  in  this 
mission  under  very  dangerous  and  trying  conditions,  and,  not- 
withstanding the  fact  that  his  detachment  suffered  numerous 
casualties,  he  remained  on  this  duty,  and  continued  to  supply  the 
company  with  rations  until  completely  exhausted. 

A  messenger  having  been  wounded  by  an  enemy  sniper  in  the 
open  between  the  line.  Sergeant  Lester  Fossie  immediately  went 
to  his  rescue  and  brought  him  into  the  company  headquarters,  over 
ground  swept  by  machine-gun  and  sniper's  fire. 

Early  Instances  of  Heroism 

No  one  in  France  was  in  a  better  position  to  report  on  the 
heroism  of  Negro  soldiers  than  Ealph  W.  Tyler,  the  Negro  war 
correspondent.  Here  is  Mr.  Tyler's  report  of  some  of  the  first 
instances  that  came  to  his  attention: 


266  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  IIISTOKY 

**  Somewhere  in  France. — A  successful  raid,  planned  by  one  of 
the  majors  of  the  old  8th  Illinois  Regiment,  whose  home  is  at 
Metropolis,  Illinois,  Avas  made  in  the  Voucharn  sector,  and  with 
great  daring.  The  motor  battery  of  the  regiment  first  took  part  in 
laying  down  a  barrage  fire.  The  barrage  fire  began  at  4  o'clock 
in  the  morning— just  as  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  shone  sluggishly, 
and  but  dimly,  behind  the  horizon.  At  the  hour  named,  every 
gunner  was  at  his  post.  The  Major  flashed  an  electric  signal,  and 
within  a  minute  or  two  thereafter  every  gun  fired  simultaneously, 
as  if  connected  with  and  controlled  by  an  electric  battery.  For 
fifteen  minutes  the  colored  gunners  kept  up  their  barrage  fire, 
and  then  a  French  company  was  sent  out  behind  the  barrage  to 
make  the  raid.  So  surprising  was  the  raid,  and  so  quickly  made, 
that  but  three  of  the  colored  soldiers  were  wounded,  and  they  but 
slightly,  and  but  eight  of  the  French,  with  whom  they  were  fighting, 
while  the  Germans'  casualty  toll  was  eleven  killed  and  three 
wounded,  and  the  remainder  were  captured." 

The  Negro  in  the  Argonne 

** Stories  of  the  fight  in  the  Argonne  Forest,"  said  Mr.  Tyler 
in  a  later  report,  ''and  the  splendid  endurance  and  valiant  fighting 
of  the  colored  soldiers  continue  to  come  in.  It  is  reported  that  a 
company  of  the  old  Ninth  Ohio  Battalion,  under  command  of  its 
colored  captain  from  Dayton,  Ohio,  lay  in  an  open  field  all  night, 
awaiting  orders  to  go  into  action,  while  all  the  time  the  Germans 
were  dumping  big  shells  and  machine-gun  fire  into  them.  But 
even  in  the  face  of  such  a  murderous  fire,  the  colored  line  stood  as 
firm  as  if  the  huge  shells  and  murderous  machine-gun  fire  were  but 
the  discharge  of  toy  blowguns.  Among  their  casualties  were 
Anderson  Lee  and  "William  Chenault,  of  Dayton,  who  v/ere  killed. 
The  firmness  of  the  line  these  khaki-garbed  black  soldiers  main- 
tained in  the  face  of  a  withering  fire — a  veritable  hell — constitutes 
one  more  reason  why  the  folks  of  the  race  back  home  should  be 
proud  of  these,  their  colored  soldiers  over  here,  whose  unyielding 
spirit  and  bravery  is  making  history  for  the  race. 

**I  have  learned  that  Hill  304,  which  the  French  so  valiantly 
held,  and  which  suffered  such  a  fierce  bombardment  from  the 
Germans  that  there  is  not  a  single  foot  of  it  but  what  is  plowed 


NEGRO  IIEKOES  OF  THE  WAR  267. 

up  by  shells,  and  whose  sides,  even  today,  are  literally  covered  with 
tlie  corpses  of  French  soldiers  who  still  lie  where  they  fell,  was 
later  as  valiantly  held  by  the  colored  soldiers  from  the  United 
States,  who  fought  with  all  the  heroism  and  endurance  the  best 
traditions  of  the  army  have  chronicled.  The  colored  soldiers, 
under  their  own  captain  from  Dayton,  Ohio,  who  so  splendidly 
maintained  their  line  in  the  Argonne  Forest,  and  those  who  held 
that  bloody  and  forever  historical  Hill  304,  had  the  odds  against 
them,  but  like  Tennyson's  immortalized  'Six  Hundred,'  they  fought 
bravely  and  well,  finnly  in  the  belief  it  was  'not  theirs  to  reason 
why,  but  theirs  to  do  or  die,'  and,  like  the  patriots  they  were, 
they  did  BO    and  this  war's  history  will  so  record." 

How  Two  Colored  Captains  Fell 

Still  another  report  by  Mr.  Tyler  says:  ''Recently,  in  an 
engagement  already  reported,  a  colored  unit  was  ordered  to  charge, 
and  take  if  possible,  a  very  difficult  objective  held  by  the  Germans. 
Captains  Fairfax  and  Green,  two  colored  officers,  were  in  command 
of  the  detachments.  They  made  the  charge,  running  into  several 
miles  of  barb-wire  entanglements,  and  hampered  by  a  murderous 
fire  from  nests  of  German  machine  guns  which  were  camouflaged. 
Just  before  charging,  one  of  the  colored  sergeants,  running  up  to 
Captain  Fairfax,  said:  'Do  you  know  there  is  a  nest  of  German 
machine  guns  ahead?'  The  Captain  replied:  'I  only  know  we 
have  been  ordered  to  go  forward,  and  we  are  going.'  Those  were 
the  last  words  he  said,  before  giving  the  command  to  charge,  'into 
the  jaws  of  death.'  The  colored  troops  followed  their  intrepid 
leader  with  all  the  enthusiasm  and  dash  characteristic  of  patriots 
and  courageous  fighters.  They  went  forward,  they  obeyed  the 
order,  and  as  a  result  62  men  and  two  officers  were  listed  in  the 
casualties  reported.  Captains  Fairfax  and  Green  being  among  those 
who  fell  to  rise  no  more.  Caj^tain  Fairfax's  last  words:  'I  only 
know  we  have  been  ordered  to  go  forward,  and  we  are  going,'  are 
words  that  will  forever  live  in  the  memory  of  their  race;  they  are 
words  that  match  those  of  Sergeant  Carney,  the  color  sergeant  of 
the  54th  Massachusetts  during  the  Civil  "War,  who,  although  badly 
wounded,  held  the  tattered,  shot-pierced  Stars  and  Stripes  aloft 
and  exclaimed:     'The   old  flag  never  touched  the  ground.'     Men 


268  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

who  have  served  under  Captains  Fairfax  and  Green  say  two  braver 
officers  never  fought  and  fell." 

*' Since  this  92nd  Division  has  been  in  France  there  has  come 
to  it  four  promotions  for  its  colored  officers,  among  these  being 
the  promotion  of  Captain  Adam  E.  Patterson  and  Captain  Dean 
to  majorships,  the  former  now  serving  as  Divisional  Judge  Advo- 
cate, while  the  latter  is  in  command  of  a  munition  train.  Major 
Patterson  will  be  remembered  as  the  colored  man  whom  President 
Wilson,  soon  after  his  first  inauguration,  nominated  for  the  posi- 
tion of  Register  of  the  Treasury,  but  who,  on  learning  certain 
Southern  Senators  would  prevent  his  confirmation,  wrote  the  Presi- 
dent requesting,  in  order  not  to  embarrass  the  President,  that  he 
withdraw  his  name,  which  was  done.  The  Division  Commander 
speaks  in  high  terms  of  Major  Patterson's  ability,  his  attentiveness 
to  duty,  and  his  fine  conduct  of  the  office  of  Division  Judge  Advo- 
cate. Both  Major  Patterson  and  Major  Dean  won  their  promotion, 
the  Division  Commander  says,  on  merit  alone/' 

Captain  Jones  and  His  Gallant  Fighters 

''In  one  engagement  in  the  Argonne  woods,  where  the  fighting 
has  been  most  sanguinary,"  said  Mr.  Tyler,  ''and  where  the  Amer- 
ican troops  showed  their  mettle.  Captain  J.  Wormley  Jones,  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  is  reported  to  have  stood  like  a  stone  Avail,  and 
rallied  his  men,  when  others  were  wavering  in  the  face  of  a  mur- 
derous fire  and  of  great  odds.  In  this  particular  engagement, 
Captain  Jones  displayed  such  fine  leadership,  such  fearlessness  of 
danger,  that  his  Division  Commander,  in  a  personal  talk  with  the 
writer,  praised  in  highest  terms  the  valor  and  leadership  shown 
by  the  Captain.  It  is  such  instances  as  these,  and  there  are  many 
coming  to  light  almost  daily,  that  justify  the  hope  entertained 
by  the  race  that  our  colored  officers  would  prove  efficient,  and  that 
our  colored  soldiers  would  fight  as  well  under  colored  officers  as 
under  any  others."    And  in  a  later  dispatch  Mr.  Tyler  continued: 

*' Realizing  that  there  is  nothing  more  encouraging  to  the  race 
back  in  the  States  than  to  learn  how  bravely  our  colored  soldiers 
over  here  are  enduring  and  fighting,  I  made  it  a  point  to  secure  a 
fuller  report  of  the  bravery  displayed  by  Captain  J.  Wormley 
Jones,  of  WashingtoH,  D.  C,  in  one  of  the  Argonne  engagements. 


NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR  269 

The  place  of  honor,  it  appears,  fell  to  Captain  Jones's  regiment, 
and  to  the  battalion  to  which  he  belongs.  Under  cover  of  the  night's 
pitch-black  darkness,  the  Captain  led  his  men  into  the  trenches 
overlooking  No-Man's  Land,  that  grim  sepulcher  that  holds  bo 
many  thousands  of  the  Allies'  and  the  enemy  dead. 

''Notwithstanding  that  Captain  Jones  and  his  men  had  just 
completed  a  forced  march  of  some  twenty  kilometers,  the  men  were 
in  excellent  condition  and  splendid  spirits,  and  eager  to  demon- 
strate their  fitness  to  try  conclusions  with  the  Huns.  Captain 
Jones  was  supported  by  Lieutenants  Franlc  Coleman,  C.  W.  Mar- 
shall, D.  J.  Henderson,  and  Paul  Jones,  the  last  mentioned  being 
a  brother  of  the  captain.  These  men  were  all  of  'the  sterner 
stuff,'  and  fit  for  the  trying  ordeal  which  awaited  them.  Space 
forbids  dealing  with  the  blackness  of  the  night,  or  with  the  awful 
bombardment. 

"Neither  can  I  individualize  respecting  the  magnificent  valor 
of  the  men  of  the  company  led  by  Captain  Jones  in  this  engage- 
ment, which  Secretary  Baker  himself  praised.  When  the  awful 
bombardment  died  away,  just  as  the  gray  streaks  of  early  dawn 
pierced  the  night's  blackness,  wdiich  was  made  grayer  by  a  thick 
heavy  fog,  the  Captain  ordered  a  charge  'over  the  top'  with  fixed 
bayonets;  through  the  treacherous  fog  and  into  no-man-knew-Avhat 
or  seemed  to  care.  The  first  wave,  or  detachment,  went  over  with 
a  cheer — a  triumphant  cheer — and  the  second  wave  followed  their 
comrades  with  a  dash.  It  may,  perhaps,  be  best  to  let  these  boys 
and  officers  tell  with  their  own  lips  of  the  terrific,  murderous  shell, 
shrapnel,  gas,  and  machine-gun  fire  which  baptized  them,  only  to 
make  them  the  more  hardened  and  intrepid  warriors;  of  how  they 
contended  every  inch;  fought  with  marvelous  valor,  never  for  an 
instant  faltering.  Trench  after  trench  of  the  enemy  was  entered 
and  conquered;  dugout  after  dugout  was  successfully  grenaded 
and  made  safe  for  the  boys  to  follow ;  wires  were  cut  and  communi- 
cating trenches  explored;  machine-gun  nests  were  raided  and 
silenced,  and  still  the  boys  fought  their  w^ay  on.  Of  course,  as  a 
natural  sequence  to  such  a  daring  raid,  there  were  casualties,  but 
the  black  soldiers,  heroes  as  they  were,  never  flinched  at  death,  and 
the  wounded  were  too  proud  of  their  achievements  even  to  murmur 
because  of  the  pain  they  endured.     Captain  Jones   and  his  men 


270  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

took  over  a  mile  of  land  and  trenches  which  for  four  years  had 
been  held  by  the  Germans.  The  newspapers  have  given  due  and 
proper  credit  to  the  Americans  for  this  daring  raid,  but  the  world 
has  not  been  informed  that  it  was  the  colored  soldiers  of  America, 
under  Captain  J.  Wormley  Jones,  a  former  Washington,  D.  C, 
policeman,  who  made  the  charge  that  was  as  daring,  and  more 
successful,  than  the  Tennyson-embalmed  charge  of  'The  Light 
Brigade.'  " 

A  Brave  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Secretary 

To  E.  T.  Banks,  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  belongs  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  Y.  M.  C.  A.  colored  secretary  to  go  ''over  the  top,"  which 
he  did  in  one  of  the  Argonne  engagements.  It  was  permitted  him 
to  fight  for  two  days  and  nights  in  the  forests  and  trenches  side 
by  side  with  real  soldiers.  On  the  last  night,  while  lending  first 
aid  to  a  wounded  black  scout  soldier,  he  was  fired  upon  by  a  Ger- 
man machine  gun,  but  succeeded  in  bringing  his  wounded  scout 
to  the  American  line,  though  not  until  they  had  lain  all  night  in  the 
forest  under  a  most  fearful  barrage  fire.  For  his  bravery,  Banks 
was  cited  and  recommended  for  meritorious  service.  An  officer,  in 
a  personal  letter  to  him  commending  his  splendid  ser^/ice,  wrote : 
"When  the  full  story  of  the  Argonne  is  told,  the  'Red  Triangle' 
represented  by  Mr.  Banks  will  add  beauty  to  the  rainbow  that  is 
reflected  from  the  silent  tombs  of  those  who  sleep  the  sleep  of 
death  that  Democracy  may  not  perish  from  the  earth." 

A  Heroic  Colored  Physician 

There  was  a  heroic  calmness,  according  to  Ralph  W.  Tyler, 
in  the  death  of  Lieutenant  Urban  F.  Bass,  of  Fredericksburg,  Vir- 
ginia, colored,  serving  as  a  physician  with  one  of  the  colored  regi- 
ments, and  it  is  deserving  of  more  than  a  passing  notice.  He  was 
directing  the  affairs  of  his  temporary  aid  station  just  behind  the 
crest  of  a  hill,  while  the  battle  was  raging,  when  a  shell  from  the 
enemy's  gun  combed  the  hill  and  struck  among  the  group  of  work- 
ers being  directed  by  him,  tearing  off  both  legs  of  the  physician. 
Lieut.  Bass,  with  remarkable  fortitude,  as  calmly  instructed  his 
hospital  corps  how  to  give  him  first  aid  as  if  ho  was  but  writing  a 
prescription  for  one  of  his  patients  back  in  his  Virginia  office. 


NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR  271 

He  died  a  few  moments  later,  from  blood  hemorrhage.  Thus  went 
a  most  promising  colored  physician  who,  although  beyond  the 
draft  age,  vohmteered  his  services;  left  a  splendid  practice,  wife 
and  children,  to  serve  his  country  in  France,  and  by  so  doing  help 
to  advance  the  interests  of  his  race  back  in  America. 

Here  is  another  story  told  by  Mr.  Tyler:  "Yesterday  about 
10  o'clock,  a  platoon  of  colored  men,  under  colored  officers,  was 
sent  out  to  reconnoiter,  to  learn  the  strength  and  position  of  the 
enemy,  and  with  positive  instrnctions  to  bring  back  live  prisoners. 
They  went,  but  discovering  that  the  enemy  was  strongly  entrenched, 
and  realizing  that  it  would  bo  suicidal  to  attempt  to  attack  almost 
a  regiment  with  a  handful  of  men,  returned  and  reported.  The 
Major  of  the  battalion  thereupon  said  he  would  go  himself  and 
do  the  job,  and  called  for  eight  volunteers  to  accompany  him. 
There  was  no  lack  of  volunteers,  even  from  among  those  of 
the  platoon  that  had  previously  returned  to  make  this  report. 
The  Major,  a  white  officer,  selected  eight  men  from  the  many  who 
had  volunteered  to  make  the  perilous  trip,  and  started  out  to  locate 
the  Huns'  position  and  return  with  a  live  prisoner.  Instead  of 
returning,  he,  with  two  of  his  volunteers,  are  now  prisoners  of 
war  in  the  German  camp,  for  they  found,  to  their  Major's  regret, 
that  the  colored  officer  had  reported  correctly  the  Gennan  strength. 
This  is  but  one  more  instance  showing  that  the  colored  soldiers  are 
indifferent  to  fear;  that  they  quickly,  cheerfully,  and  eagerly  vol- 
unteer to  go  even  though  death  or  capture  is  the  sure  fate  await- 
ing them." 

How  Lieutenant  Cameron  Died 

"It  was  but  one  of  the  many  small  raids  nearly  every  night 
chronicles  here  at  the  front,"  said  Mr.  Tyler  in  another  dispatch, 
"bnt  it  demonstrated  the  daring  courage  of  our  colored  troops. 
Some  two  hundred  colored  soldiers,  under  Captain  Robert  Stephens, 
of  Columbus,  Ohio,  were  ordered  to  raid  the  Boche's  trenches. 
They  were  ordered  to  do  this  without  a  barrage  fire  being  first 
laid  down  for  them,  and  without  artillery  or  machine-gun  support. 
They  never  hesitated,  however,  but  out  into  the  pitch-black  darkness 
of  night  they  moved,  encountered  the  usual  barbed-wire  entangle- 
ments which  so  fearfully  harass  advance  even  in  the  day,  to  say 


272  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

nothing  of  the  night.  The  Germans  lay  quiet  until  these  hlack 
warriors  were  within  forty  rods  of  their  trenches,  and  then  they 
opened  up  a  murderous  machine-gun  fire,  and  exploded  shells  of 
deadly  gas  among  the  hlack  soldiers.  But  the  latter  never  wavered. 
They  fought  manfully  against  great  odds.  Among  the  casualties 
were  Captain  Stephens  and  Lieut.  Stewart,  hadly  gassed,  and 
Lieut.  Cameron,  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  killed.  Bruce  McCray, 
Maxton,  North  Carolina,  just  as  he  was  going  over  the  top,  was 
hit  hy  a  machine-gun  bullet  that  ripped  his  stomach,  and  Cor- 
nelius Turner,  of  Sellars,  Louisiana,  was  stopped  from  going  over 
the  top  by  a  bullet  which  indented  his  helmet,  cutting  a  jagged 
wound  in  his  head.  There  were  a  number  Avho  were  more  or  less 
gassed.  I  visited  them  in  the  hospital  the  following  afternoon, 
and  found  those  injured  and  gassed  getting  along  as  well  as  could 
be  expected,  and  had  the  assurance  of  the  physicians  in  attendance 
— careful  physicians  of  their  own  race — ^that  all  would  recover. 
The  death  of  Lieutenant  Cameron,  however,  cast  an  impenetrable 
gloom  over  every  one  in  the  regiment,  and  even  in  the  entire 
division,  for  he  was  loved  by  officers  and  men.  The  draft  would 
not  and  could  not  have  reached  Lieutenant  Cameron,  but  he  came 
— volunteered — to  serve  his  countiy,  and  died  for  it." 

Badly  Wounded,  He  Fought  On 

"An  incident  showing  unusual  fidelity  to  duty  came  to  light 
yesterday.  Sergeant  Cans,  with  two  other  cx)lored  comrades,  was 
on  gTiard  at  a  'strong  point'  on  one  of  the  active  fronts.  During 
the  night  his  two  comrades  were  killed  by  enemy  shrapnel,  asid 
he  himself  had  ugly  wounds  in  his  back  and  leg,  from  which  the 
blood  flowed  freely;  still  he  remained  at  his  post.  When  it  was 
learned  that  his  two  comrades  had  been  killed,  and  he  himself 
w^ounded.  Captain  Harry  Atwood  sent  to  have  the  dead  and 
wounded  brought  in,  but  Sergeant  Cans  refused  to  leave  his  post, 
because  a  sergeant,  as  he  thought  was  proper,  was  not  there  to 
relieve  him.  It  became  necessary  for  Captain  Atwood  to  order 
this  badly  wounded  sergeant  to  leave  his  post  at  the  point  of  a 
bayonet,  to  secure  medical  treatment.  All  he  knew  was  duty;  he 
was  firm  in  the  belief  that  before  he  could  leave  his  post  for  any- 
thing, a  relief  should  be  there  to  take  his  place." 


NEGRO  HEROES  OF  THE  WAR  273 

A  Fighting  Colored  Chaplain 

**The  gas  mask  has  saved  hundreds  from  being  gassed,"  said 
Mr.  Tyler,  *'but  perhaps  the  first  case  reported  of  a  gas  mask 
saving  a  soldier's  life  by  warding  off  a  deadly  bit  of  shrapnel  was 
the  case  of  Chaplain  J.  T.  Simpson,  a  former  Pittsburgh  colored 
minister.  The  courageous  chaplain,  as  full  of  fight  as  of  religion, 
was  going  over  the  top  with  'his  boys,*  as  he  called  the  troops  of  his 
regiment,  when  a  big  shell  exploded,  and  a  piece  of  the  shrapnel 
from  it  hit  the  mask  he  was  wearing,  striking  the  metal  part,  other- 
wise he  would  now  be  a  dead  chaplain  instead  of  confined  in  the 
hospital  from  shell  shock.  Frequently  it  takes  longer  to  recover 
from  shell  shock  than  from  a  shell  wound.  The  chaplain,  when  I 
saw  him  was,  however,  slowly  but  surely  recovering." 

Mental  Ejffect  of  a  Big  Shell 

"When  one  calmly  reads  of  the  shelling  of  a  town,  he  cannot 
form  any  adequate  knowledge  of  the  feeling  which  possesses  those 
who  experience  the  shelling.  Yesterday  afternoon  the  Boche  opened 
up  on  the  little  town  at  the  front,  in  which  I  was  gathering  news," 
said  Ralph  W.  Tyler  in  another  letter.  * '  The  big  guns  of  the  Huns 
sent  their  awful  instruments  of  death  whistling  through  the  air. 
First  a  belching  sound  is  heard,  and  then  comes  the  siren-like 
whistle  of  the  shell  as  it  races  overland  to  its  terminal  of  destnic- 
tion;  and  then  a  roaring,  hellish  sound — 'Boom!' — shaking  hills 
and  vales  for  miles  around.  The  people  are  startled.  They  gather 
in  little  knots  and  look  far  over  the  lines,  whence  came  the  belch- 
ing sound,  to  see  if  they  can  get  a  view  of  the  approaching  engine 
of  death.  Soldiers  hardened  to  the  oft-heard  sound,  calmly  proceed 
about  their  duties,  when  they  find  the  Hun  has  failed  to  get  the 
proper  range  of  the  town.  But  the  feeling  is  peculiar.  Even  when 
the  shell  misses,  involuntarily  there  arises,  in  one's  mind,  the  ques- 
tion: 'Will  the  next  one  hitT  There  are  experiences  far  more 
pleasant  than  seeing  a  big  death- tipped  shell — so  I  thought  when 
two  whistled  over  my  head  yesterday  and  stmck  a  few  yards  to 
the  right  and  left  of  me." 


CHAPTEE  XIX 
THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  AS  A  FIGHTER 

Unanimous  Praise  by  Military  Observers — Value  of  Negroes  as 
Shock  Troops — Discipline  and  Morale  Under  Fire — Wh<d  the 
War  Correspondents  Said  About  Them — Comments  by  Foreign 
Military  Observers  —  Estimates  by  American  and  French 
O'fficers. 

The  Negro  lias  always  had  the  record  of  being  a  good  soldier. 
General  Pershing  has  been  quoted  as  to  the  courage  and  valor  of 
the  colored  troops.  It  may  be  well  to  quote  here  the  testimony  of 
four  other  distinguished  Americans  as  to  the  faithful  service  of 
colored  soldiers  in  other  wars.  Commodore  Perry  said  after  the 
Battle  of  Lake  Erie:  "They  seemed  to  be  absolutely  insensible 
to  danger."  General  Jackson  asserted  on  the  occasion  of  the 
Battle  of  New  Orleans:  *'You  surpassed  my  hopes.  The  nation 
shall  applaud  your  valor."  Speaking  of  the  Negro  in  the  Civil 
War,  General  Grant  said:  *'The  colored  troops  fought  nobly." 
Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt,  reporting  on  the  record  of  the  Negro 
soldiers  in  the  Spanish- American  war,  said:  *'No  troops  could 
behave  better  than  the  colored  soldiers." 

The  reader  will  have  noted  that  Negro  combat  units  in  their 
fighting  overseas  lived  up  to  all  the  traditions  of  their  race.  They 
distinguished  themselves  by  bravery,  fortitude,  and  loyalty,  and 
the  records  of  the  regiments  of  which  they  were  a  part  compared 
favorably  w^th  any  of  those  who  w^ent  overseas.  "Whether  in 
Flanders,  in  Champagne,  in  the  Argonne  Forest,  in  the  Vosges, 
on  the  Meuse,  or  before  Metz,  it  was  the  old  story  of  indomitable 
courage,  of  willingness  to  go  forward  always,  no  matter  how  mur- 
derous the  opposing  fire.  There  was  the  same  valor  and  spirit 
displayed  by  them  in  every  action,  and  they  saw  some  of  the  most 
intense  and  critical  fighting  of  the  war. 

The  Negroes  went  into  the  World  War  with  a  spirit  of  the  true 

274 


THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  AS  A  FIGHTER  275 

soldier.  They  were  determined  to  fight  it  out  at  the  earliest  possible 
moment.  Sixteen  Negro  soldiers  passing  through  Defiance,  Ohio, 
were  asked  whether  they  were  going  to  France. 

"No,  sir,  I  am  not  going  to  France,"  replied  one  of  them,  *'I  am 
going  to  Berlin  and  I  may  stop  in  France  for  a  short  time  on  the 
way. ' ' 

*'AVhat  we  are  aiming  to  do,"  said  a  Negro  officer,  **is  to  push 
our  way  right  on  into  Berlin  without  stopping,  as  we  promised  the 
folks  at  home  we  would  do,  and  we  don't  intend  to  be  long  about 
it  either." 

"Heaven,  Hell  or  Hoboken" 

Soldiering  for  the  Negro  was  a  pleasant  pastime  as  long  as 
there  were  any  Germans  around.  They,  therefore,  had  for  their 
watchword  that  of  the  Black  Herald:  "Heaven,  Hell,  or  Hoboken 
by  Christmas."  They  soon  established  themselves  as  being  cool 
and  reliable  fighters  in  the  front  line.  Both  Americans  and  French 
report  that  if  the  Germans  ever  discovered  who  it  was  that  held 
part  of  the  line  through  the  Argonne  Forest  when  the  Boche  failed 
once  to  get  through,  they  would  have  a  decidedly  high  respect  for 
the  American  Negro  infantry. 

Their  fighting  spirit  always  ran  high.  They  seemed  to  fear 
nothing.  There  is  a  story  of  a  Negro  soldier  who  Avas  found  sitting 
pensively  in  a  field  while  shells  were  roaring  overhead  like  invisible 
midair  express  trains. 

"What  are  you  thinking  about.  Buddy?  Making  your  will? 
Are  you  wondering  why  you  were  nut  enough  to  enlist?" 

"No,"  said  the  doughboy  gloomily,  "I  was  wondering  how  I 
was  ever  nut  enough  to  let  a  man  hold  me  up  in  Chicago  last  spring. 
He  only  had  a  thirty- two." 

Upon  an  occasion  of  a  Negro  regiment  hammering  its  way 
through  the  German  lines  the  brigade  commander  summoned  the 
colonel  of  a  Negro  regiment  before  him  and  demanded  to  know  in 
terse  military  fashion,  why  that  colonel  had  not  maintained  better 
control  over  his  troops,  and  why,  above  everything  else,  he  had 
not  "stopped"  his  men  and  kept  them  from  passing  beyond  their 
appointed  objectives,  and,  in  fact,  hacking  their  way  through  ahead 
of  their  own  protective  barrage. 


276  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

''Stop  them?"  queried  the  Colonel.  ''Stop  them?  Hell,  man, 
how  could  you  expect  me  to  stop  them,  when  the  whole  German 
army  couldn't  do  it?" 

Because  of  these  unusual  feats  in  war  the  Germans  soon  began 
to  regard  the  Negroes  not  with  mere  curiosity  but  with  unusual  fear. 
Early  in  the  war  the  German  army  offered  a  reward  of  400  marks 
for  the  capture  alive  of  each  Negro  as  an  inducement  to  German 
soldiers  to  overcome  the  great  fear  and  terror  of  the  Negroes.  A 
discharged  German  soldier  reported  that  one  evening  on  the  front 
a  scouting  party  consisting  of  10  Germans  including  himself  encoun- 
tered two  French  Negi-oes.  In  a  fight  which  followed,  two  of  the 
scouting  party  were  killed.  One  of  the  Negroes  escaped,  the  other 
being  taken  prisoner.  In  the  fight  two  of  the  Germans  left  their 
comrades  and  ran  to  the  protection  of  their  own  trenches,  but  these, 
it  was  explained,  were  young  soldiers  and  untrained.  The  reward 
of  400  marks  subsequently  was  divided  among  the  remaining  six 
Germans  for  capturing  the  Negro. 

German  Fear  of  Colored  Troops 

How  the  Germans  feared  the  colored  American  soldiers  is  indi- 
cated by  Mr.  Tyler  in  his  report  of  a  conversation  with  two  American 
aviators,  Lieut.  V.  H.  Burgin  of  Atlanta  and  Lieut.  A.  L.  Clark  of 
Boston.  Both  had  been  forced  to  descend  behind  the  German  lines 
and  had  been  held  as  prisoners  of  war  for  two  months.  Writing 
from  Brest,  where  these  airmen  were  waiting  for  transport  home, 
Mr.  Tyler  said: 

"The  interesting  part  of  these  intrepid  American  airmen's  nar- 
rative of  their  fight,  capture  and  imprisonment,  to  colored  people,  is 
that  while  they  were  captured  at  different  points,  and  imj^risoned  at 
widely  separated  prisons,  both  state  that  when  brought  before  the 
German  military  intelligence  department  and  questioned  as  to  the 
American  force  in  France,  one  of  the  first  questions  asked  of  them, 
and  which  the  Germans  seemed  most  concerned  about,  was  how  many 
colored  troops  the  Americans  had  over  here.  Lieut.  Burgin,  of 
Atlanta,  said  he  told  them  there  were  13,000,000  American  colored 
troops  in  France.  He  stated  that  this  not  only  surprised  the  Ger- 
mans, but  appeared  to  depress  them,  'For,*  he  added,  'the  Germans 
have  a  holy  fear  of  colored  troops  and  their  knives  wielded  with 


THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  AS  A  FIGHTER  277 

skill  and  dexterity.'  He  stated  that  this  information  made  a  tre- 
mendous impression  on  the  Germans,  although  he  admitted  he  did 
not  know,  at  the  time,  how  many  colored  troops  were  in  France, 
but  thought  it  was  best  to  exaggerate  rather  than  underestimate  the 
strength  of  our  forces  when  questioned  by  the  enemy. 

''Lieut.  Clark,  the  Boston  aviator,  also  said  that  the  leading  ques- 
tion put  to  him  by  the  German  military  intelligence  officers  was: 
'How  many  Negro  troops  have  the  Americans  got  over  here?'  He 
stated  that  not  knowing,  he  was  frank  in  telling  them  that  he  did  not 
know,  but  that  he  believed  there  were  several  millions.  He,  too, 
stated  that  this  information  regarding  the  force  of  colored  troops  in 
France,  given  to  the  German  officers  who  questioned  him,  greatly 
depressed  them. 

''It  was  a  fact  patent  to  every  American  officer  and  soldier  who 
had  had  contact  with  German  soldiers,  that  they  had  a  mortal  fear 
of  colored  soldiers.  This  fear  had  been  occasioned  by  two  things. 
First,  before  the  American  colored  soldiers  had  been  put  on  the 
battle  front  the  Germans  had  encountered  the  fierce  fighting  Sene- 
galese and  Algerians,  fighting  with  the  French,  who  took  no  prisoners, 
and  who  were  prone  to  cut  off  the  ears  and  other  parts  of  a  German 's 
anatomy  before  dispatching  him  into  eternity.  Then  again,  later, 
they  had  encountered  the  372nd,  371st,  370th  and  369th  colored  regi- 
ments, the  first  colored  Americans  to  arrive  in  France,  and  who  were 
brigaded  and  fought  wdth  the  French.  The  Germans  had  learned 
that  the  American  colored  soldier,  while  nat  brutal  like  the  Senegalese 
and  Algerians,  were  even  harder,  more  scientific  and  more  dangerous 
fighters.  They  were  men  who  fought  with  precision — fought  like 
trained  veterans — were  good  in  trench  warfare,  in  raids,  or  in  at- 
tack— any  way  they  were  ordered  to  fight,  while  the  Senegalese  and 
Algerians  were  best  in  attack — ^being  dashing,  whirlwind  fighters  in 
attacks,  or  as  shock  troops." 

Efficiency  of  Colored  Fighters 

Major  L'Esperance  of  the  369th  regiment  has  borne  testimony 
to  the  efficiency  of  his  men.  Says  Major  L'Esperance:  "The 
heaviest  fighting  was  on  September  26,  1918,  when  we  went  into 
action  with  twenty  officers  and  700  men  in  our  battalion  in  the 
morning  and  at  the  close  we  had  seven  officers  and  150  men  left. 


278  SCOTT'S  OFFICD\Jj  HISTORY 

Our  boys  advanced  steadily  like  seasoned  veterans  and  never  lost 
a  foot  of  ground  they  had  taken  or  let  a  prisoner  escape." 

The  testimony  of  Colonel  William  Hayward  of  the  369th  has 
already  been  quoted  to  the  same  general  effect.  Colonel  T.  A. 
Roberts,  who  commanded  the  370th  referred  to  in  the  foregoing 
chapters,  says:  **I  have  been  commended  for  the  fighting  qualities 
and  general  bearing  of  the  men  who  were  actually  over  the  Belgian 
border  when  the  Armistice  was  signed,  and  one  of  my  battalions 
was  the  most  advanced  unit  of  the  French  army  with  which  we  were 
cooperating  at  the  time." 

As  the  New  York  Times  said  upon  the  return  of  these  gallant 
soldiers  from  France:  **The  American  Negro  troops  in  France 
never  failed  to  share  the  glory  of  battle  with  the  French,  or  with 
their  white  American  comrades." 

In  all  that  makes  the  soldier,  bravery,  intelligence,  endurance, 
and,  particularly,  good  nature  under  hardship  and  privation,  the 
Negro  soldier  excels.  He  is  never  downhearted,  and  usually  he  is 
gay  and  full  of  humor.  No  American  army  would  be  complete 
without  the  familiar  and  historic  Negro  troops. 

In  the  war  of  wars  in  which  the  Negro  has  participated  it 
remained  for  the  American  Negro  to  be  represented  by  a  full  divi- 
sion, with  all  the  military  units  thereof.  The  band  of  the  350th 
Field  Artillery  Eegiment  appeared  in  Nancy  for  a  concert, 
and  this  was  the  first  information  to  reach  the  inhabitants  that 
the  only  brigade  of  Negro  artilleiy  ever  organized  had  been 
defending  Nancy  by  holding  the  Marbache  sector  south  of  Metz, 
This  organization  came  up  behind  the  line  about  a  month  before 
the  end  of  hostilities.  It  was  so  eager  to  get  into  the  fray  that  the 
men  drew  some  of  the  guns  into  position  by  hand.  The  brigade 
participated  in  the  taking  of  Foret  de  Frehaut.  It  was  the  accurate 
fire  of  these  colored  artillery-men  which  reduced  the  resistance  and 
enabled  the  infantry  to  capture  the  position  without  great  loss.  It 
v/as  said  by  a  war  correspondent  at  the  front  that  if  Emperor 
William  in  the  weeks  preceding  September,  1918,  had  been  on  his 
iiistoric  observation  post  at  Mount  Fauson,  where  he  saw  the  fight- 
ing before  Verdun  in  1916,  he  would  have  seen  the  American  Negro 
soldiers  holding  a  portion  of  the  trenches  in  the  Foret  de  Hesse. 
The  unanimous  opinion  of  French  military  observers,  with  whom 


THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  AS  A  FIGHTER  279 

the  four  regiments  of  colored  troops  served,  as  well  as  of  their 
commanders  who  have  been  quoted  (both  Northern  men  and 
Southern  men)  was  that  the  colored  soldier  met  every  test  of 
service. 

Rev.  D.  Leroy  Ferguson,  Chaplain  in  the  United  States  Army, 
writing  from  France,  is  quoted  as  saying:  ''The  colored  soldier 
here  is  making  a  great  record  in  France,  and  the  officers  and  French 
people  with  whom  I  have  talked  praise  his  worth  and  work.  The 
same  bravery  and  courage  and  skill  that  characterized  his  efforts 
in  other  wars  in  America  and  Mexico  are  shown  here  in  an  excellent 
way.  They  are  enduring  the  hardships  and  the  suffering  with 
smiles;  their  deportment  is  good;  and  whether  it  is  unloading  the 
great  cargoes,  digging  the  roads  or  on  the  firing  line,  the  black 
soldier  is  equal  to  any.  Wlien  the  history  of  the  war  is  written 
our  soldiers  will  have  their  names  written  large  with  honors,  and 
though  here  in  France  for  victory,  they  all  want  to  and  expect  to 
return  to  the  good  old  U.  S.  A.  With  all  her  faults  we  love  her 
still — our  wives,  our  sweethearts,  families  and  our  homes.  I  am 
proud  to  be  able  to  contribute  something  to  the  war." 

Comparison  with  European  Soldiers 

The  European  war  gave  colored  American  soldiers  the  first 
opportunity  for  comparison  of  their  mettle  with  the  best  soldiers  of 
Germany,  Great  Britain  and  France;  and  unanimous  testimony  is 
more  or  less  to  the  effect  that  they  were  able  to  hold  their  own  in 
courage,  endurance  and  aggressiveness  without  whimper  or  com- 
plaint. Colored  Americans  are  proud  of  the  following  two  para- 
graphs which  appeared  in  The  Stars  and  Stripes,  the  organ  of  the 
American  troops  in  France: 

**The  farthest  north  at  11  o'clock  (when  the  armistice  went 
into  effect)  on  the  front  of  the  two  armies  w^as  held  at  the  extreme 
American  left,  up  Sedan  way,  by  the  troops  of  the  77th  New  York 
Division.  The  farthest  east — the  nearest  to  the  Rhine — was  held  by 
those  New  York  soldiers  who  used  to  make  up  the  'old  15th  New 
York'  and  have  long  been  brigaded  with  the  French.  They  were 
in  Alsace  and  their  line  ran  through  Thann  and  across  the  railway 
that  leads  to  Colmar." 

"Probably  the  hardest  fighting  by  any  Americans  in  the  final 


280  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

hour  was  that  which  engaged  the  troops  of  the  28th,  92d,  81st,  and 
7th  Divisions  of  the  Second  American  Army.  It  was  no  mild  thing, 
that  last  flare  of  the  battle,  and  the  order  to  cease  firing  did  not 
reach  the  men  in  the  front  line  until  the  last  moment,  when  the 
runners  sped  with  it  from  foxhole  to  foxhole." 

The  gratifying  thing  is  that  there  should  be  recorded  in  the 
official  organ  of  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces  a  reference 
to  the  fact  that  colored  troops  were  nearest  the  Rhine  of  all 
American  troops,  as,  indeed,  they  were  later  the  first  of  all  Allied 
troops  to  reach  the  Rhine,  and  that  the  92d  Division — their  Divi- 
sion— was  engaged  ''in  the  hardest  fighting  of  the  last  hour  of 
the  war." 

The  Brooklyn  Standard  Union  epitomizes  in  an  editorial 
expression  the  general  opinion  which  obtains  as  to  the  fighting 
quality  of  the  colored  American  troops  sent  overseas  to  fight  ''for 
democracy ' '  during  the  world  war : 

"Of  the  American  Negro  soldiers  it  has  been  frequently  said 
since  we  have  been  fighting  in  France,  that  they  are  decidedly  the 
most  cheerful  troops  who  have  spilt  blood  in  this  war,  and  as  highly 
courageous  as  any  who  have  shouldered  guns.  This  is  not  an 
exaggerated  tribute,  for  the  testimony  of  the  Allies,  and,  of  course 
of  General  Pershing  and  other  white  officers  bears  out  this  esti- 
mate, while  the  War  Department  at  Washington  has  abundant 
proof,  in  the  way  of  records,  showing  the  bravery  of  these  boys. 

"Some  of  those  who  recognized  the  extremely  sociable  and 
good  natured  qualities  of  the  Negro  questioned  his  ability  as  a 
fighter.  They  feared  he  would  not  stand  up  well  in  a  bayonet 
charge,  or  in  an  advance  upon  singing  machine  guns,  or  where 
shells  from  the  big  cannon  were  bursting  and  rocking  the  earth. 
But  that  was  a  superficial  view.  Under  his  smile  and  ready  laugh 
or  grin  the  colored  man  has  the  qualities  of  a  fighter — coolness, 
patience,  steadfastness,  optimism,  pluck  and,  of  course,  courage.  All 
these  have  been  brought  out  in  recent  months,  and  honors  have  fallen 
upon  him  in  France  in  a  manner  that  is  cause  for  national  pride. 

"In  every  department  of  the  army,  from  wireless  telegraphy 
to  the  sanitary  squad,  the  Negro  has  played  his  part  and  played  it 
conscientiously,  and  it  is  gratifying  to  know  that  this  city  has  con- 
tributed a  very  large  number  of  Negro  fighters   to   the  nation's 


THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  AS  A  FIGHTER  281 

army,  for  tlie  percentage  of  volunteers  here  has  been  high.  Easy 
to  mold  to  the  requirements  of  discipline,  happy  under  any  and 
all  circumstances,  he  is  an  exemplary  soldier.  On  the  charge  he 
sees  red,  as  the  fighter  should,  and  in  rest  billets  or  even  in  the 
trench  he  seldom  loses  his  cheerful  outlook  upon  life." 

French  Wanted  Colored  Troops 

Assigned  to  the  French  High  Commission  in  the  city  of 
Washington  during  the  war  were  two  distinguished  Frenchmen, 
Colonel  Edouard  Requin  and  Major  L.  P.  DeMontal.  These  gentle- 
men often  called  at  the  office  of  the  author  to  make  inquiry  as  to 
when  additional  combat  troops  were  to  be  sent  to  France.  They 
spoke  in  terms  of  gratitude  of  the  services  of  the  S.  0.  S.  men  but 
their  eagerness  always  manifested  was  that  the  War  Department 
should  decide  to  send  over  increasingly  large  numbers  of  colored 
combat  troops,  for,  as  they  both  stated,  every  report  that  reached 
them  from  France  spoke  of  the  wonderful  courage  and  coolness  of 
the  colored  American  troops,  who  made  a  wonderful  impression 
upon  the  French  population  both  civil  and  military  and  as  will  have 
been  noted  from  the  praise  and  commendation  of  high  French 
officers,  they  won  the  respect  of  those  military  representatives  of 
the  French  army.  The  courage  of  these  colored  American  troops 
was  always  in  evidence;  their  cool  headedness  and  bravery  under 
fire  as  well  as  their  desire  to  engage  in  the  aforesaid  engagements 
went  to  demonstrate  that  the  colored  soldiers  were  unsurpassed  as 
fighters.  The  Germans  had  little  or  no  respect  for  the  fighting 
ability  of  these  soldiers  until  they  encountered  them  in  several 
hand-to-hand  combats. 

The  Bulletin  of  the  Annws  issued  by  the  French  government 
after  the  completion  of  every  drive  in  which  the  allied  armies 
participated,  gives  some  of  the  most  amazing  records  of  heroism 
in  the  history  of  wars.  The  Algerian  and  Senegalese  soldiers  gained 
favor  continuously  as  fighters  of  the  first  rank.  The  records  of 
these  soldiers  were  heralded  on  the  European  continent  as  incom- 
parable achievements  of  bravery,  and  upon  every  occasion  v/hen 
they  paraded  the  streets  preparatory  to  leaving  for  the  first  line 
trenches,  storms  of  applause  greeted  them  from  every  roadside 
and  tavern,  and  upon  one  occasion  when  these  black  troops  returned 


282  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

to  the  city  of  Paris,  after  having  been  engaged  in  a  vigorous  drive 
against  the  Germans  at  Verdun,  every  soldier  was  bedecked  with 
a  shower  of  flowers  tendered  him  by  French  women,  who  wept 
bitterly  as  they  viewed  the  wounded  Negroes  limp  through  the 
Paris  thoroughfares. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  feats  recorded  in  the  Bulletin  was 
the  work  perfoimed  by  a  corporal  of  a  French  infantry  regiment, 
Louis  Hermitte,  a  Senegalese.  After  a  German  attack  in  December, 
1917,  he  w^ent  out  of  the  trench  and  drove  back  the  enemy  by  hurling 
hand  grenades.  He  dug  himself  into  a  little  corner  quite  close  to 
the  German  line  and  stayed  there  for  several  days.  He  received  a 
military  m,3dal. 

Heroism  of  French  Negroes 

The  black  troops  of  France  won  many  honors  and  proved  them- 
selves unafraid  of  suffering.  One  page  in  the  Bulletin  was  devoted 
to  the  mention  of  five  cases  of  Algerian  and  Senegalese  soldiers,  men 
born  in  a  hot  climate  and  quite  unused  to  frost  and  snow,  who 
remained  at  their  posts  under  fire  and  fought  bravely,  though  all 
of  them  were  terribly  frostbitten — so  badly  in  two  cases  that  both 
legs  had  to  be  amputated.  In  two  other  cases  the  men  lost  a  leg 
each.  One  of  these  men  endured  the  agony  of  frostbite  and  of 
terrific  German  attacks  for  nineteen  consecutive  days  and  finally 
fell  when  his  ammunition  gave  out.  Still  another,  with  hands  and 
feet  frozen,  fought  with  such  fury  that  he  captured  several  machine 
gTins  and  single  handed  brought  back  sixty  Geiman  prisoners. 
These  feats  of  heroism  have  crowned  several  of  the  men  with  the 
Croix  de  Guerre  honors,  but  these  honors  are  not  received  with  a 
vainglorious  boast  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers'.  It  is  one  of  the 
highest  honors  that  a  soldier  can  receive  from  the  government. 

Hard  fighting  in  close  quarters  calls  for  a  greater  measure 
of  athletic  ability  and  superior  physical  strength  and  endurance. 
This  the  Senegalese  seem  to  possess  to  a  greater  degree  than  any 
other  allied  body.  In  every  single  close  battle  with  the  German 
they  proved  themselves  masters  of  the  situation  and  slaugh- 
tered their  opponents  unmercifully.  In  one  instance  Corporal 
Hamilde  Annonetti  was  badly  gassed,  but  continued  work  until  his 
lungs  were  overcrowded  with  the  vapor.     He  was  taken  to  the 


THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  AS  A  FIGHTER  283 

relief  station  and  begged  to  go  back  to  the  firing  line  to  finish  his 
attack.  After  being  temporarily  relieved  he  escaped  from  the  hos- 
pital and  dragged  himself  back  two  miles  over  the  bullet  riddled 
ground  and  renewed  his  attack,  killing,  it  is  claimed,  five  or  more 
Germans  who  were  manning  a  machine  gun.  He  was  picked  up  by 
the  ambulance  corps  with  both  legs  shot  away. 

The  high  state  of  discipline  and  the  morale  which  existed  in 
the  92d  (colored)  Division  was  the  subject  of  a  great  deal  of 
comment  from  all  of  the  allied  officers  who  had  the  opportunity  to 
view  the  troops  who  composed  this  command,  and  is  attested  by 
the  remarks  of  General  Pershing  relative  to  discipline  and  morale 
addressed  to  the  92d  Division  at  Le  Mans,  France,  just  previous  to 
their  departure  for  the  United  States,  when  he  said: 

**The  92d  Division  has  been,  without  a  doubt,  a  great  success, 
and  I  desire  to  commend  both  the  officers  and  men  for  the  high 
state  of  discipline  and  the  excellent  morale  which  has  existed  in 
this  command  during  its  entire  stay  in  France." 

Brig.  Gen.  W.  H.  Hay,  of  the  184th  Brigade,  92d  Division,  said: 
*'I  have  been  with  colored  troops  for  25  years,  and  I  have  never 
seen  better  soldiers  than  the  drafted  men  who  composed  this  divi- 
sion." Capt.  Willis,  of  the  365th  Infantry,  said:  "These  men  are 
the  best  disciplined  and  best  saluting  soldiers  that  I  have  ever 
seen."  An  officer  en  route  between  Camp  Meade  and  Washington, 
D.  C,  on  or  about  February  26,  1919,  said,  *'You  just  have  to  give 
it  to  these  colored  troops;  they  have  come  back  with  the  stuff;  there 
has  been  absolutely  no  slump  in  their  discipline  and  saluting,  but 
I  notice  that  the  white  troops  have  slumped  considerably," 


CHAPTER  XX 

WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  FRANCE 

Official  Reports  of  the  Only  Accredited  Negro  War  Correspondent — 
Ralph  W,  Tyler,  Representative  with  the  A.  E.  F.  of  the  U.  S. 
Committee  on  Public  Information — The  Story  of  the  Life  and 
Fighting  of  American  Negro  Soldiers  in  Fra/nce  as  Seen  By 
This  Trained  Observer. 

One  of  the  most  important  results  of  the  conference  of  Negro 
editors  held  in  Washington  in  June,  1918,  was  the  sending  to  France 
of  a  trained  newspaper  writer  of  the  Negro  race  with  instructions 
to  report  on  the  life  and  the  activities  of  the  Negro  soldiers  as 
he  saw  things,  in  order  that  the  Negro  press  of  America  might  be 
furnished  with  first-hand  and  accurate  information  for  their  read- 
ers of  the  precise  conditions  under  which  their  people  were  work- 
ing and  fighting  in  Prance.  The  announcement  of  Mr.  Tyler's 
appointment  was  made  by  the  Committee  on  Public  Information  on 
September  16,  1918  when  the  following  bulletin  was  issued  to  the 
press  of  the  country: 

*'One  of  the  direct  requests  of  the  Editors*  Conference  in  June 
was  that  a  reliable  colored  news-writer  be  sent  to  France  to  report 
the  doings  of  the  colored  troops  on  the  western  front  in  France,  for 
the  information  of  the  anxious  millions  of  colored  Americans  in 
this  country  and  to  the  end  that  the  correct  story  of  the  valor  and 
patriotic  devotion  of  their  brethren  might  be  told  fully  and  in  a 
sympathetic  vein  by  one  of  their  own  blood  and  kindred. 

**In  compliance  with  this  request,  the  Committee  on  Public 
Information  has  designated  Ralph  W.  Tyler,  of  Columbus,  Ohio, 
former  Auditor  of  the  Navy  Department  at  Washington,  as  a  regu- 
larly-commissioned war  correspondent,  to  specialize  on  the  conditions 
surrounding  the  colored  troops  in  France  and  to  make  daily  reports 
of  the  activities  and  engagements  in  which  the  colored  soldiers  are 
prominent.  He  will  be  on  the  staff  of  General  Pershing,  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces  overseas.     Every 

284 


WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  FRANCE  285 

facility  has  been  provided  by  Mr.  George  Creel,  director  of  the 
Committee  on  Public  Information,  for  the  prompt  and  accurate 
gathering  of  all  facts  that  may  be  of  interest  to  the  colored  people. 

''Mr.  Tyler  is  the  first  colored  man  to  be  named  as  a  regular 
war  correspondent  by  any  Government  in  the  world.  He  is  a  native 
of  Ohio.  For  seventeen  years  he  served  in  various  departments 
on  the  Columbus  Evening  Dispatch  and  the  Ohio  State  Journal, 
which  gave  him  experience  in  the  technique  of  the  newspaper  craft 
and  afforded  him  opportunity  for  association  with  many  influential 
newspaper  men.  This  intimate  contact  with  such  forces  will  bo 
invaluable  to  him  in  his  labors  as  a  war  correspondent.  The  fact 
that  he  has  a  Avide  acquaintance  with  correspondents  now  at  the  front, 
will  make  it  possible  for  him  to  get  news  concerning  colored  troops 
which,  perhaps,  no  other  colored  correspondent  could  secure. 

''The  claims  of  a  number  of  men  were  fully  considered  in 
connection  with  this  important  assignment,  but  Mr.  Tyler  was  finally 
selected  as  the  most  efficient  of  those  available.  Immediately  after 
war  was  declared  by  the  United  States  on  Germany,  Mr.  Tyler  wrote 
the  President,  tendering  his  services  in  any  capacity.  He  has  three 
sons,  all  of  whom  are  at  the  front  in  France." 

The  plan  under  which  Mr.  Tyler  worked  was  to  send  his  reports 
to  the  Conomittee  on  Public  Information,  which  in  turn  sent  them 
to  me  for  editing  and  for  circulation  throughout  the  countr5\  This 
news  service  unquestionably  had  a  tremendously  valuable  effect  in 
6ringing  the  truth  about  conditions  in  France  to  the  colored  people 
of  America.  As  it  happened,  the  war  came  to  an  end  in  less  than 
three  months  after  Mr.  Tyler's  appointment.  In  that  brief  time, 
however,  and  in  the  short  time  after  the  armistice  was  signed  during 
which  he  remained  in  France,  he  wrote  and  sent  to  this  country  the 
most  valuable  and  interesting  first-hand  reports  about  our  Negro 
soldiers  that  have  come  from  any  source.  There  is  no  better  way 
in  which  I  can  present  an  adequate  picture  of  the  life  of  our  soldiers 
in  France  than  by  reproducing  here  Mr.  Tyler's  dispatches,  begin- 
ning with  his  graphic  account,  written  after  the  fighting  had  ceased, 
of  the  last  great  battle  of  the  war  and  the  glorious  part  which  the 
Negro  soldiers  had  in  it.  This  is  Mr.  Tyler's  summing  up  of  the 
work  of  the  92nd  Division: 

"Somewhere  in  France,  November  20.    They  were  in  it  at  the 


2ae  SCOTT'S  official  history 

finish,  as  they  were  at  Verdun,  Soissons,  Chateau-Thierry,  Argonne 
and  Champagne.  At  the  eleventh  hour  on  the  eleventh  day  of  the 
eleventh  month  in  the  fifth  year  of  the  war,  when  the  signal  flashed 
from  Eiffel  Tower  in  Paris  stopped  hostilities,  in  conformity  with 
the  terms  of  the  armistice  just  signed  by  the  Germans,  the  92nd 
Division,  composed  of  Colored  American  Soldiers,  occupied  the 
point  closest  to  the  German  city  of  Metz,  the  objective  of  the  last 
drive  of  this  war.  At  the  stroke  of  eleven  the  cannon  stopped, 
the  rifles  dropped  from  the  shoulders  of  our  Colored  soldiers,  and 
their  machine  guns  became  silent.  Then  followed  a  strange,  unbe- 
lievable silence  as  though  the  world  had  ceased  to  exist.  It  lasted 
but  a  moment — lasted  for  the  space  of  time  the  breath  is  held.  Then, 
among  these  dark-skinned  troopers  came  a  sigh  of  relief — came  jubi- 
lance, as  every  colored  soldier,  in  true  Parisian  vernacular,  ex- 
claimed: *La  Guerre  est  fini' — the  war  is  over,  and  immediately 
thoughts  turned  to  dear  ones  back  across  the  sea,  while  tears  flowed 
down  their  war-grimmed  black  faces  for  their  hundreds  of  comrades 
bivouacing  forever  in  sepulchers  over  here  in  France.  The  wish  was 
father  to  the  thought  when  it  was  prophesied,  back  in  the  states, 
when  the  first  colored  troops  sailed  for  France,  that  they  would  be 
in  it  at  the  finish,  that  their  '^On  to  Berlin"  slogan  would  become 
a  reality.  The  armistice  stopped  their  advance  into  Berlin,  but 
they  did  reach  the  nearest  point  to  the  German  city  of  Metz  in  what 
was  designed  as  a  victorious  march  to  Berlin,  and  the  valor  they 
displayed,  their  courageous,  heroic  fighting  all  along  that  advance, 
won  for  our  men  in  the  92nd  Division  high  praise  from  superior 
officers,  including  the  corps  and  division  commander,  for  they  never 
wavered  an  instant,  not  even  in  that  awful  hell,  the  Frehaut  Woods, 
upon  which  the  big  guns  of  Metz  constantly  played ;  which  the  Sen- 
egalese were  unable  to  hold,  but  which  our  colored  soldiers  from 
America  did  take,  and  did  hold  until  the  signal  came  announcing 
the  cessation  of  hostilities."    Mr.  Tyler  also  wrote: 

Colored  Troops  in  the  Final  Drive 

**In  this  last  battle  of  the  war  to  establish  world  democracy — 
a  thing  the  colored  soldiers  and  their  kinsmen  back  home  crave, 
the  following  colored  army  units  effectively  took  part :  365th,  366th, 
and  367th  Infantry;  349th,  350th,  and  351st  Field  Artillery,  and 


WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  PRANCE  287 

167th  Machine  Gun.  All  these  were  combatants  in  this  final  drive, 
but  in  this  account  of  the  battle  the  three  non-combatant  units,  the 
317th  Ammunition  Train,  under  the  command  of  a  colored  major, 
Major  Milton  T.  Dean;  the  325th  Field  Signal  Battalion;  the  staff 
of  the  366th  Field  Hosptial,  to  which  the  wounded  and  gassed 
were  rushed,  and  the  365th  and  366th  Ambulance  Corps,  under  the 
command,  respectively,  of  Captain  Sherman  Hickman  of  Memphis, 
and  Captain  Charles  H.  Garvin  of  Cleveland,  must  not  be  over- 
looked or  slighted.  The  368th  Infantry,  while  they  did  not  get  into 
this  last  action,  had  however  been  moved  up  to  Guzoncourt,  where 
they  were  held  in  reserve. 

"If  the  reader  will  get  out  his  map  of  France,  and  observe  it, 
he  will  be  able  to  follow  the  advance  of  the  combatant  colored 
troops  in  this  last  drive,  which  must  go  do\vn  in  history  as  the 
final  battle  of  the  World  War.  The  367th,  or  ''Buffaloes,"  as  they 
were  familiarly  kno^vn,  had  been  holding  Villers-sous-Preny  for 
many  days  and  up  to  the  time,  seven  o'clock  Sunday  morning, 
November  10,  they  were  ordered  to  advance  to  Pagny,  which 
they  did,  and  held.  The  advance  of  this  regiment  was  through 
"Death  Valley,"  exposed  to  the  heavy  fire  of  the  German  guns 
stationed  on  the  hill  skirting  the  advance.  They  made  the  advance 
without  a  single  casualty,  and  that  they  did  so,  considering  the  fire 
the  men  were  subjected  to,  appears  like  a  miracle,  blind  fate,  or 
the  will  of  God.  They  reached  their  objective  in  good  form,  and  it 
was  providential  that  they  did,  for  it  was  from  this  point  they 
were  able  to  open  up  fire  on  the  German  guns,  and  save  the  56tli 
Infantry  (white)  from  annihilation,  when  it  had  become  pocketed 
by  a  murderous  German  fire  which  prevented  its  making  Preny, 
or  retreating. 

"This  saving  of  the  56th  by  the  367th  was  history  repeating 
itself — colored  troops  saving  white  troops  from  destruction  in  1918 
as  the  10th  Cavalry  saved  the  Rough  Riders  during  the  Spanish- 
American  War  in  1898.  So  splendidly  did  the  367th  colored  regi- 
ment advance  and  perform  that  they  wrung  from  the  Corps  and 
Division  Commander  a  letter  of  praise,  in  which  he  paid  tribute  to 
the  regiment's  high  qualities.  Although  the  "Buffaloes"  had  for 
weeks  been  holding  the  front  line  trenches  in  a  particularly  active 
zone,  upon  which  the  Boche  rained  shells  and  gas  daily  and  nightly, 


288  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

and  although  from  this  regiment,  almost  daily  and  nightly,  raiding 
parties  of  colored  soldiers  went  out  and  brought  in  German  prison- 
ers, the  regiment  was  the  only  colored  regiment  over  here,  per- 
haps, that  had  not  been  sent  into  an  engagement — something  they 
had  longed  for.  The  order  to  advance,  at  seven  o'clock  Sunday 
morning  the  10th  of  November,  gave  them  the  opportunity  they 
had  so  long  waited  for  impatiently.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  their 
advance  was  to  be  through  ''Death  Valley,"  a  section  flanked  by 
big  German  guns  massed  on  the  overlooking  hills,  the  order  gave 
them  more  enthusiasm  and  satisfaction  than  an  order  to  embark 
for  home.  When  seven  o'clock  came  they  were  ready  to  move, 
these  ''Buffaloes,"  and  they  did  move  with  astonishing  rapidity, 
absolutely  indifferent  to  the  bursting  shells,  which,  fortunately, 
fell  a  little  short  of  them,  or  caromed  over  their  heads.  "Hail, 
Hail,  the  Gang's  All  Here,  What  the  Hell  Do  We  Care?"  greeted 
many  a  Boche  shell  as  it  fell  short,  or  spent  its  force  a  few  yards 
beyond  their  advancing  line.  They  established  and  maintained  a 
perfect  liaison,  and  even  their  Supply  Department,  under  that 
efficient  acting  supply  offiicer,  Lieut.  McKaine,  coordinated  per- 
fectly with  the  line  advancing  "on  to  Metz." 

Colored  Officer  Refuses  to  Retire 

* '  The  366th  had  been  occupying  the  line  at  Vaudieres,  prior  to 
the  Metz  advance,  and  the  order  was  to  advance  into  one  section 
of  Bois  Frehaut  and  Bois  de  Voivrotte,  which  it  did  in  a  most 
effective  manner,  displaying  such  bravery,  in  the  face  of  a  deadly 
shell  fire,  and  its  colored  line  oflScers  displaying  such  excellent  qual- 
ities of  leadership  as  to  merit  unstinted  praise  from  the  Division 
Commander.  In  the  engagement  in  the  Bois  Voivrotte,  Lieut. 
Guy  W.  Canady,  of  Atlanta,  was  killed,  and  Lieut.  M.  W.  Rush, 
of  the  same  city,  fell  mortally  wounded,  dying  a  few  days  later 
in  the  hospital,  after  having  lain  out  in  the  woods,  thus  terribly 
wounded,  for  twenty-four  hours.  Capt.  George  A.  Holland,  of  the 
same  regiment,  also  displayed  remarkable  courage  and  leader- 
ship. He  had  been  ordered  to  take  a  position  by  his  Colonel,  and 
hold  it  at  any  cost.  With  his  men  he  took  it,  but  the  fire  was  so 
heavy  and  murderous  that  his  white  major,  commanding  his  bat- 
talion, sent  orders  to  him  to  retire.    This  he  positively  refused  to 


and    came   back 


Above — Some   heroes   of   the    famous    15th    New   York,   who   went    away   smgmg 

singing    after    having    earned    all   the    Honors    of    War.  ^x,^ 

Below— The   "Stockholm"    with   her   cargo   of   "Hell   Fighters"    under   command   of   Colonel    Way- 
ward  on   deck,   just   before   docking   in    New   York   harbor. 


WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  PRANCE  289 

do,  sending  word  back  that  he  had  been  ordered  by  his  Colonel 
to  hold  the  position  taken,  and  he  and  hie  men  would  hold  it  until 
the  last  man  fell,  unless  he  had  orders  from  his  Colonel  to  retire. 
Few  instances,  in  the  annals  of  war,  are  recorded  showing  equal 
courage,  in  the  face  of  heavy  odds,  to  that  shown  by  this  colored 
officer,  Captain  Holland,  and  his  company  of  the  366th  who  obeyed 
to  the  letter,  the  order  given  to  take  and  to  hold  a  position.  As  a 
result  of  the  incomparable  courage,  endurance,  and  bravery  shown 
by  this  company,  twenty-five  of  them  were  commended,  in  General 
Orders,  by  the  Division  Commander. 

**The  First  Battalion  of  the  365tli  engaged  in  this  final  drive 
of  the  war,  had  occupied  the  front  line  trenches  in  the  Marbache 
sector.  From  almost  the  moment  of  occupancy,  active  patrolling 
and  raiding  into  the  enemy's  lines  was  ordered,  to  determine  the 
strength  of  the  enemy.  Officers  and  men  of  this  battalion  were 
sent  out  daily  and  nightly  on  such  missions,  and  many  instances 
of  conspicuous  bravery  were  displayed.  Several  of  their  number, 
however,  were  captured,  and  not  a  few  killed  and  wounded,  but  the 
number  of  the  enemy  killed,  captured,  and  wounded  greatly  out- 
numbered the  casualties  suffered  by  this  First  Battalion. 

The  385th  in  the  Bois  Frehaut 

**The  365th,  prior  to  the  last  drive,  had  been  occupying  the  front 
line  trenches  near  Dieulouard,  that  town  being  the  regimental 
headquarters.  It  had  orders  to  advance  into,  take  and  hold  a 
position  in  the  Bois  Frehaut  It  happened  that,  for  one  reason  or 
another,  all  the  white  officers  of  this  regiment,  including  the  Colonel 
commanding,  and  save  the  Major  commanding  the  2nd  Battalion, 
had  been  incapacitated  for  action,  and  so  the  2nd  Battalion  went 
into  action  with  but  one  white  officer,  the  Major.  No  unit  in  the 
advance  had  a  more  difficult  position  to  take  and  hold  than  the 
position  assigned  to  the  2nd  Battalion  of  the  365th.  The  Bois- 
Frehaut  was  a  network  of  barbed-wire  entanglements,  and  the  big 
guns  in  Metz  had  nothing  to  do  but  sweep  the  woods  with  a  mur- 
derous fire,  which  they  did  most  effectively.  French  and  Senegal- 
ese in  turn  had  failed  to  hold  these  woods,  for  it  was  worse  than 
a  hell — it  had  become  the  sepulcher  of  hundreds.  I  (Ralph  W. 
Tyler)   was   over  and  through  these  woods;  I  saw  the  mass  of 


290  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

barbed-wire  entanglements;  I  saw  the  nests  in  the  trees  in  which 
Germans  had  camouflaged  machine  guns  that  rained  a  fire  upon 
the  Allied  troops. 

**It  is  impossible  to  describe  this  scene  of  carnage.  The  order 
to  the  colored  men  of  the  365th  was  to  "take  and  hold,"  although 
it  was  believed,  almost  to  a  certainty,  that  they  could  not  hold  it, 
even  if  they  did  take  it.  But  they  did  take  and  hold  it,  and  these 
men  of  the  2nd  Battalion,  with  Spartan-like  courage;  with  an  en- 
durance unbelievable,  would  be  holding  the  position  at  this  writing 
had  not  the  Armistice  been  sirgned,  or  had  they  not  received  ordei^ 
to  retire.  In  these  woods,  at  the  head  of  his  company.  Captain 
Boutte,  and  the  other  line  officers,  fought  tenaciously,  heroically — 
so  heroically  that  the  Major  commanding  stated  to  me  that  the 
world  had  never  produced  gamer  fighters  than  the  colored  men 
who  made  up  his  battalion  of  the  365th  Infantry.  The  casualty  list, 
because  of  the  savage  nature  of  the  resistance  the  Germans  made, 
because  of  the  heavy,  well  directed  big  guns  and  machine  gun  fire, 
was  large.  But  the  365th  did  take  and  did  hold  that  which  the 
fighting  Senegalese  could  not  hold  after  they  had  taken  it, 

**  After  sixteen  days  of  activity  on  this  front,  the  battalion  was 
ordered  in  support  for  a  week,  and  on  November  5th  it  was 
ordered  to  the  front  line  trenches  in  the  Mousson  sector,  an  in- 
tensely active  front,  that  was  shelled  daily  and  nightly.  On  the 
memorable  morning  of  November  10,  1918,  the  1st  Battalion  was 
ordered  to  the  ''alert,"  as  support  for  the  2nd  Battalion  of  the 
same  regiment,  then  engaged  in  the  last  drive.  On  the  evening  of 
the  10th  it  was  ordered  to  attack  Champey  and  LaCote  Hill,  a 
very  strongly  fortified  German  position.  The  battalion  moved  to 
the  attack  at  five  o  'clock  Sunday  evening,  entering  the  position  from 
the  rear  of  the  2nd  Battalion's  position.  A  very  hea^y  gas-shell 
and  high  explosive  barrage  laid  down  by  the  Germans  checked 
the  advance,  and  the  battalion  was  ordered  to  remain  in  its  position 
for  the  night. 

**At  five  o'clock  the  next  (Monday)  morning,  the  lltii  of  No- 
vember, the  battalion  moved  into  position  for  the  resumption  of  the 
attack.  Its  line  moved  into  position  under  cover  of  our  artillery 
barrage,  which  began  at  4:30  a.  m.  With  two  companies  in  the 
front  line  and  two  in  support,  the  1st  Battalion  advanced  through 


WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  PRANCE  JOl 

the  difficult  woods,  Bois  de  Frehaut.  It  advanced  with  machine-gun 
support  until  the  northern  edge  of  the  woods  was  reached,  over- 
looking Champey.  At  this  point  the  advance  was  met  by  a  most 
terrific  artillery  bombardment  and  machine-gun  fire  delivered  by 
the  Germans  stationed  on  the  heights  of  LaCote  Hill.  The  fight- 
ing at  this  point  was  bitter.  Men  and  officers,  however,  remained 
in  action  and  held  their  line  under  extremely  adverse  conditions. 
Up  to  this  point  the  line  had  advanced,  in  the  face  of  a  terrific 
fire,  about  400  yards,  forcing  many  machine  guns  of  the  enemy  to 
retire,  and  capturing  a  number  of  others  along  with  much  material. 
This  action  continued  until  10:45  a.  m.,  at  which  time  the  **  Cease 
Fire"  was  sounded,  which  ended  the  hostilities  of  this  titanic  war. 
**The  casualties  of  the  1st  Battalion  of  the  365th  in  this  engage- 
ment were  two  officers  wounded  and  61  enlisted  men  killed, 
wounded,  and  gassed.  Among  the  wounded  officers  was  Lieut. 
Charles  H.  Fearing,  formerly  of  Washington,  D.  C,  who  was  slightly 
cut  in  the  arm  by  shrapnel.  Lieut.  Fearing,  but  a  few  days  before, 
had  escaped  death  most  miraculously. 

Work  of  the  Ammunition  Train 

"Distributing  the  many  tons  of  ammunition  along  the  route  of 
the  advance,  and  moving  it  up  to  the  American  combatants  in  this 
final  drive  for  the  92nd  Division,  was  a  big  task,  but  was  success- 
fully done  by  a  colored  Ammunition  Train,  under  the  command  of 
Major  Milton  T.  Dean,  a  colored  officer.  Arranging  the  telegraphic 
and  signal  communications  between  the  various  units,  was  a  dan- 
gerous— most  dangerous— and  big  achievement,  and  this  was  done 
by  the  325th  Colored  Field  Signal  Battalion.  Caring  for  and  at- 
tending to  the  hundreds  of  wounded  and  gassed,  as  they  were 
rushed  back  to  the  field  hospital  in  ambulances  driven  by  colored 
men  and  conunanded  by  colored  ambulance  commanders,  was  the 
big  task  of  those  sacrificing  and  sympathetic  colored  surgeons  on 
the  staff  of  the  366th  Field  Hospital. 

**I  was  at  the  front  when  the  drive  began — this  the  last  battle 
of  the  world  war.  I  was  thrilled,  and  inspired  by  the  enthusiasm 
of  our  men,  and  their  eagerness  to  get  into  battle.  The  thundenng 
of  the  big  gims,  the  terrific  explosion  of  death-carrying  shells — 
hell  opening  up — served  only  to  inspire  our  colored  soldiers  w^th 


292  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

a  grim  determination  to  maintain  the  race's  traditional  fighting 
reputation.  As  I  retraced  my  steps  over  the  battlefield,  the  awful 
field  of  carnage,  and  saw  the  havoc  German  shells  had  wrought; 
saw  Ufelees,  blood-bespattered  bodies  of  colored  soldiers  lying  on 
the  dark  and  bloody  field;  saw  the  maimed  and  mangled  living, 
the  natural  feeling  of  sorrow,  of  anguish,  of  pain,  was  made  en- 
durable only  by  the  thought  that  our  men — our  colored  soldiers — 
were  in  it  to  the  end,  that  they  fought  like  heroes,  died  like  heroes, 
died  like  martyrs.  And  then  there  was  the  radiant  hope — perhaps 
they  fought  and  fell,  in  the  last  battle  of  the  greatest  war  ever 
waged  for  civilization,  NOT  in  vain. 

**As  the  colored  troops,  in  the  last  battle  of  the  war,  the  drive 
on  Metz,  were  the  first  to  reach  the  nearest  point  to  the  city  of 
Metz,  so  it  was  colored  troops,  the  old  15th  New  York,  that  first 
reached  the  point  farthest  east  and  nearest  to  the  Rhine  in  the 
battle  on  the  Meuse.  They  were  in  Alsace,  and  their  line  ran 
through  Thann  and  across  the  railroad  leading  to  Colmar."  Mr. 
Tyler  continues: 

As  to  Transfers  of  Officers 

**  Distance  lends  enchantment  to  the  view,  and  likewise,  not 
infrequently,  to  some  degree,  distance  exaggerates  a  rule  into  an 
exception-  The  transfer  of  colored  commissioned  officers  from 
combatant  to  non-combatant  units  is,  I  know,  regarded  by  a  very 
considerable  number  of  colored  people  in  the  States  as  an  'ex- 
ception.* I  am  aware  that  information  has  been,  or  soon  will  be, 
received  back  in  the  States  that  a  number  of  colored  officers  were 
recently  given  assignments  to  casualty  camps,  and  that  white  offi- 
cers were  assigned  to  their  places  in  the  line.  Gennan  propaganda 
is  sure  to  convey  these  transfers  as  an  'exception'  prompted  by 
racial  prejudice.  To  one  who  is  here  on  the  scene,  and  who  knows 
of  countless  number  of  white  officers  who  are  daily  being  trans- 
ferred to  units  and  assignments  which  they  would  not  themselves 
have  selected,  and  of  some  having  been  peremptorily  shorn  of  their 
rank  on  the  field  of  battle,  the  'rule'  carries  no  evidence  of  'ex- 
ception* due  to  racial  discrimination.  So  far  as  I  liave  been  able 
to  ascertain  all  transfers  are  made  for  the  good  of  the  service, 


WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  FRANCE  293 

regardless  as  to  whether  the  ones  transferred  are  white  or  colored. 

**The  number  of  colored  commissioned  oflBcers  discharged, 
or  transferred  from  their  units,  has  been  negligible  when  compared 
with  the  number  of  white  officers  honorably  (f)  and  dishonorably 
discharged  and  transferred,  even  when  the  proportionate  number  of 
each  is  considered. 

**This  is  war  over  here — actual,  not  theoretical  war,  and  its 
prosecution  to  the  earliest  conclusion  is  so  urgent  that  command- 
ing generals  have  no  time  to  consider  racial  problems,  even  if  they 
were,  ordinarily,  so  inclined  to  do.  To  'win  the  war'  as  speedily 
as  possible,  with  the  best  available  units  and  officers,  appears  to 
prompt  all  allied  commanders,  Americans,  French,  and  British, 
and  if  some  few  colored  officers,  like  hundreds  of  white  officers,  fall 
into  the  discard,  or  receive  new  assignments,  the  race  back  in  the 
States  must  not  too  quickly  assume  that  race  discrimination  was 
the  actuating  factor.  I  have  learned  of  instances,  over  here,  where 
white  colonels  who  had  aspired  to  become  brigadier-generals  have 
lost  the  insignia  of  colonelcy.  I  have  learned  of  many  white  officers 
whose  self-estimate  made  them  available  for  commanding  and  di- 
recting attacks  in  battle  who  have  been,  much  to  their  chagrin, 
given  desk  assignments. 

* '  Just  prior  to  a  recent  engagement,  it  is  reported,  a  number  of 
commissioned  colored  officers  were  transferred  from  their  unita 
to  casualty  and  other  assignments.  Had  they  not  been  transferred 
just  when  they  were  some  of  them  would  have  their  names  now 
appearing  in  the  list  of  'Killed  in  Battle.'  They,  doubtless, 
would  have  as  willingly  filled  a  martyr's  grave  as  they,  unwillingly 
and  uncomplainingly,  accepted  other  assignments. 

**The  fact  is  patent  to  all  who  are  conversant  with  the  war 
over  here  that  casualty  camp  assignments  are  as  necessitous  as 
field  assignments;  that  the  stevedore  regiments  make  possible  the 
success  of  the  combatant  regiments^,  that  the  swivel-office-chair 
officer  performs  an  important  and  necessitous  function.  Secretary 
of  War  Baker,  although  a  civilian,  performs  a  duty,  the  non-per- 
formance of  which  would  have  made  it  impossible  for  General  Per- 
shing to  achieve  glory  over  here  for  the  United  States.  I  simply 
want  to  impress  upon  my  race,  back  in  the  States,  that  in  this  war 


294  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

'the  hewer  of  wood  and  the  drawer  of  water'  is  as  necessaiy  to 
victor}'  as  the  man  who  adjusts  the  distance  for  the  75-centimeter 
gun,  and  that  when  the  world  has  been  made  safe  for  democracy 
it  will  be  impossible  to  deny  honor  to  all  who  helped  to  achieve 
factory,  even  to  those  who,  having  received  no  assignment  in  the 
theater  of  war,  cheerfully  stood  and  waited  for  an  opportunity  to 
serve,  even  if  only  in  some  humble  capacity. 

''The  necessarily  quick  decisions  made  on  a  battlefield,  or  im- 
mediately prior  to  entering  battle,  where  victory  hangs  as  much  on 
strategy  as  on  man-power  and  equipment,  will  ofttimes  disillusion 
even  the  theorist  who  employs  platitudes,  at  a  safe  distance  far 
behind  the  battle  front,  rather  than  bullets  and  shrapnel  with  which 
Avars  are  won.  I  am  now  here  where  life  is  but  a  gamble,  and  the 
flow  of  blood  is  but  commonplace,  and  know  whereof  I  speak,  and 
knowing  the  necessity  of  war  here  at  the  seat  of  it,  I  am  willing 
to  stand  or  fall  by  the  foregoing  statement,  and  in  the  assurance 
that  our  race  is  actually  winning  glory  over  here  in  France." 

Negroes  in  the  Final  Fighting 

Following  is  Mr.  Tyler's  report  of  the  final  fighting,  written 
on  the  day  before  the  Armistice  took  effect: 

"In  the  battle  raging  today  in  the  American  advance  toward 
Metz,  the  92nd  Division  played  a  big  role.  Not  only  were  its  black 
infantry  and  machine  gun  units  up  at  the  front,  in  the  thickest  of 
it,  but  its  artillery,  the  167th  Brigade  of  Field  Artillery,  was  on 
the  line,  behaving  like  veterans,  laying  down  a  barrage  for  the 
infantry  that  was  marvelously  effective;  and  they  established  a 
reputation  which  has  been  made  by  but  few,  among  French,  British 
or  Americans,  of  laying  down  a  barrage  that  did  not  entrap,  and 
fatally  so,  their  own  men. 

"This  has  been  a  glorious  day  for  the  black  soldiers.  The 
fighting  is  still  on,  and  I  have  just  received  the  intimation  that 
the  casualty  toll  may  be  heavy — depressingiy  so,  for  Metz,  and  the 
sector  around  about  it,  is  strongly  fortified  by  the  Germans,  and 
resistance  determined.  Metz  is  considered  by  experts  to  be  the 
strongest  fortified  city  in  the  world,  almost  as  impregnable  as  the 
fortific   fcions  of  the  Dardanelles.    But  the  Americans  are  hammer- 


WITH  OUH  ISOLDIERJS  IN  FRANCE  295 

iiig  away  at  it,  and  only  the  signing  of  the  Armistice  terms  by 
the  Germans,  by  eleven  o'clock  tomorrow,  will  save  Metz  from  fall- 
ing.   Even  as  it  is,  colored  soldiers  are  now  on  Gennan  soil. 

*'The  husky  invaders  include  the  colored  soldiers  of  the  92nd 
Division,  embracing  the  'Buffaloes'  or  367th,  the  365th  and  366th 
Regiments  of  Infantry,  and  the  167tli  Brigade  of  Field  Artillery, 
composed  of  the  349th,  350th  and  351st  Regiments  and  the  317th 
Trench  Mortar  Battery,  and  all  are  conducting  themselves  with 
a  fortitude  and  valor  that  have  won  for  them  high  praise  from  their 
commanding  officers  every  time  they  have  been  put  to  any  test." 

And  here  is  Mr.  Tyler's  report  on  the  very  day  of  the  Armis- 
tice, November  11,  1918 : 

"The  colored  troops  who  took  part  in  the  last  battle  of  this 
war  acquitted  themselves  splendidly,  fought  valiantly,  and  with  such 
precision  and  order  as  to  earn  for  them  high  praise.  Reminiscent 
stories  of  this  engagement  will  be  coming  to  light  for  weeks — even 
months — after  this  battle  has  long  been  a  matter  of  history,  for, 
as  in  all  big  battles,  the  reverberations  of  the  big  guns,  the  rattle 
of  musketry,  and  the  smoke  of  the  battle  must  have  died  away  be- 
fore the  accounting  can  be  made.  There  is  one  remarkable,  even 
astonishing,  record  made  in  this  last  drive,  a  record  that  either 
establishes  the  fact  that  God  was  with  the  colored  reg-iments  en- 
gaged, as  a  protector,  or  that  Fate  is  not  merely  a  fetish,  for  the 
'Buffaloes^  suffered  not  a  single  casualty — not  one  wounded  or 
killed.  Just  how  they  could  have  advanced  along  the  difficult  line 
given  them;  flanked  by  heavy  German  guns — guns  from  whose  rain 
of  hell-made  and  death-charged  shells  it  seems  incredible  that  any 
could  escape,  is  beyond  the  conjecture  of  man,  and  yet  they  made 
their  advance,  gained  their  objective,  and  held  it  without  the  loss 
of  a  single  man.  The  366th,  365th,  351st  Machine  Gun,  and  167th 
Field  Artillery,  all  colored,  engaged  in  this  final  battle  of  the  war, 
suffered  a  casualty  which,  in  the  aggregate,  was  but  slight,  and 
yet  they  were  in  the  thick  of  it,  and  to  the  finish  when  the  note  was 
sounded  that,  under  the  terms  of  the  Armistice  signed  this  morning 
by  the  Germans,  hostilities  cease. 

"It  will  be  gratifying  to  the  colored  people  to  know  that  the 
colored  soldiers  and  officers  have  acquitted  themselves  splendidly, 


296  SOOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

from  the  first  engagement  into  which  the  372nd  was  rushed  soon 
after  landing  to  the  final  drive  'on  to  Metz'  in  which  three  colored 
regiments  and  colored  field  artillery  took  part.  And,  claim  what 
they  wdll,  in  every  one  of  these  engagements  in  which  colored  units 
took  part  their  colored  oflficera  led  with  commendable  bravery 
and  efficiency,  and  the  soldiers  in  line  followed  with  snch  a  fidelity, 
loyalty,  devotion,  and  dash  as  to  forever  set  at  rest  the  claim  that 
colored  men  are  incapable  to  command  as  officers,  and  that  colored 
soldiers  best  fight  nnder  white  officers.  The  drive  'on  to  Metz* 
which  concluded  the  four  years'  titanic  war  affixes  'finis'  to  the 
argument  put  forth  by  some  as  to  the  loyalty  of  the  race  to  their 
own  leaders. 

"The  effect  of  the  signing,  and  promulgating  in  the  camps  of 
our  colored  soldiers,  of  the  Armistice  today,  was  like  magic  in 
this  Marbache  sector,  where  more  than  30,000  combatant  colored 
troops  are  centered.  Just  out  of  the  trenches,  just  out  of  the 
fierce  and  bloody  battle,  they  began  singing  and  cheering,  and 
nearly  every  Frenchman  they  met,  it  mattered  not  the  sex,  greeted 
them,  these  bronzed,  khaki-garbed  troops,  with  an  embrace  and  the 
exhilarating  'La  guerre  est  fini,'  meaning  'The  war  is  finished.' 
This  evening,  as  I  am  writing  this  account,  colored  soldiers  are 
moving  up  and  down,  back  and  forth,  over  the  streets  of  this  little 
French  town  at  the  front,  cheering  and  singing.  Their  repertoire 
of  songs  and  hymns,  exultingly  and  plaintively  sung,  from  'Down 
on  the  Suwanee  Biver,'  'Swing  Low,  Sweet  Chariot,'  to  'Hail,  Hail, 
the  Gang's  All  Here,'  interrupted  ever  and  anon,  although  strictly 
forbidden,  with  the  firing  of  a  revolver  or  gun,  tell  how  happy 
they  are  over  the  conclusion  of  peace.  And  many  of  them — most 
of  them,  if  not  all — are  anxiously  awaiting  the  order  for  embarka- 
tion back  to  America,  although  they  must  realize  that,  of  a  neces- 
sity, many  of  them  will  witness  the  blooming  of  next  June's  roses 
in  France,  rather  than  back  in  the  States. 

"It  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  glorious  epochs  in  the  history 
of  the  race,  since  the  issuing  of  the  Emancipation  Proclamation, 
that  the  race,  represented  by  three  regiments — crack  fighting  regi- 
ments— and  a  field  artillery  unit,  was  engaged  in  the  last  battle 
of  the  war ;  that  the  race  was  among  the  first  of  the  Allied  troops 


WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  FRANCE  297 

to  go  over  the  top  and  set  foot  on  German  soil  after  more  than 
four  years'  courageous  fighting.  Here  are  some  of  the  expressions 
with  which  colored  privates  gave  vent  to  their  happiness  at  the 
war  being  ov^r,  in  this  sector  last  night: 

**  *We  done   signed  another  Emancipation  Proclamation!' 
**  *That  "New  Freedom"  must  come — we  have  won  it.' 
**  *We  came  to  France  and  won  a  man's  chancel*  " 

How  France  Received  the  Negro  Soldiers 

I^et  Mr.  Tyler's  fascinating  and  gossipy  narrative  of  the  life 
of  the  American  Negro  troops  in  France  close  with  a  reproduction 
of  the  tribute  paid  them  by  the  French  people  themselves.  The 
following  is  a  translation  of  an  article  written  by  a  talented  French 
woman  and  published  in  the  leading  newspaper  of  one  of  the  large 
French  cities: 

**A  peaceful  town,  far  from  the  froni  A  beautiful  June  day 
full  of  perfume  of  roses;  resplendent  summer  freely  bursting  into 
bloom,  indifferent  to  human  plaints,  frets,  and  agitations.  A  boy 
of  ten  years,  head  like  the  urchin  of  the  year  one,  runs  through 
the  streets  crying:  'The  Americans  are  coming  to  B ;  the  in- 
habitants are  invited  to  greet  them.' 

*'The  Americans  I  For  months  they  had  been  discussed;  they 
had  been  expected,  and  there  was  great  curiosity;  groups  of  people 
go  down  to  the  public  square  of  the  town,  where  they  see  upon  our 
white  streets  the  first  ranks  of  the  Allied  troops.  But  what  a  sur- 
prise! They  are  black  soldiers!  Black  soldiers?  There  is  great 
astonishment,  a  little  fear.  The  rural  population,  not  well  in- 
formed, knows  well  the  Negro  of  Africa,  but  those  from  America's 
soil,  the  country  of  the  classical  type,  characterized  by  the  cold, 
smooth  white  face;  that  from  America  could  come  this  dark  troupe 
— none  could  believe  his  own  eyes. 

''They  dispute  among  themselves;  they  are  a  little  irritated; 
some  of  the  women  become  afraid;  one  of  them  confides  to  me  that 
she  feels  the  symptoms  of  an  attack  of  indigestion.  Smiling,  re- 
assurably,  'lady  with  all  too  emotional  stomach,  quiet  yourself! 
They  do  not  eat  human  flesh;  two  or  three  days  from  now  you 
will  be  perfectly  used  to  them. '    I  said  two  or  three  days,  but  from 


208  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

that  very  evening  the  ice  is  broken.  Natives  and  foreigners  smile 
at  each  other,  and  try  to  understand  each  other.  The  next  day  we 
see  the  little  children  in  the  arms  of  the  huge  Negroes,  confidently 
pressing  their  rosy  cheeks  to  the  cheeks  of  ebony,  while  their 
mothers  look  on  with  approbation. 

*'A  deep  sympathy  is  in  store  for  these  men,  which,  yesterday, 
was  not  surmised.  Very  quickly  it  is  seen  they  have  nothing  of  the 
savage  in  them,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  one  could  not  find  a  soldier 
more  faultless  in  his  bearing,  and  in  his  manners  more  affable,  or 
more  delicate  than  these  children  of  the  sun,  whose  ancestors 
dreamed  under  the  wonderful  nights  along  murmuring  streams. 
We  admire  their  forms — handsome,  vigorous  and  athletic;  their 
intelligent  and  loyal  faces  with  their  large  gleaming  eyes,  at  times 
dreamy,  and  with  a  bit  of  sadness  in  them. 

"Far  removed  is  the  time  when  their  inauspicious  influence 
was  felt  upon  the  digestive  organs  of  the  affrighted  lady.  Now  one 
honors  himself  to  have  them  at  his  table.  He  spends  hours  in  long 
talks  with  them;  with  a  great  supply  of  dictionaries  and  manuals 
of  conversation.  The  white  mothers  of  France  weep  to  see  the 
photographs  of  the  colored  mothers,  and  display  the  portraits 
of  their  soldier  sons.  The  fiancees  of  our  own  'Poilus'  become 
interested  in  the  fiancees  across  the  sea,  in  their  dress,  in  their 
head  dress,  and  in  everything  which  makes  woman  resemble  woman 
in  every  clime.  Late  at  night  the  workers  of  the  field  forget  their 
fatigue  as  they  hear  arise,  in  the  peaceful  night,  the  melancholy 
voices  which  call  up  to  the  memory  of  the  exile  his  distant  country, 
America.  In  the  lanes  along  the  flowery  hedges,  more  than  one 
group  of  colored  American  soldiers  fraternize  with  our  people,  while 
the  setting  sun  makes  blue  the  neighboring  hills,  and  gently  the 
song  of  night  is  awakened. 

**And  then  these  soldiers  who  had  become  our  friends  depart. 
One  evening  sad  adieus  are  exchanged.  Adieu?  How  we  wish 
they  may  be  only  *Au  revoirs.'  Promises  to  correspond,  to  return 
when  furloughs  are  granted.  Here  and  there  tears  fall,  and  when, 
the  next  day,  the  heavy  trucks  roll  off  in  the  chilly  morning,  carry- 
ing away  to  the  front  our  exotic  guests,  a  veritable  sadness 
seizes  us. 


WITH  OUR  SOLDIERS  IN  PRANCE  299 

"Soldier  friends,  our  hearts,  our  wishes,  go  with  you.  That 
destiny  may  be  merciful  to  you;  that  the  bullets  of  the  enemy  may 
spare  you.  And  if  any  of  you  should  never  see  your  native  home 
again,  may  the  soil  of  France  give  you  sweet  repose. 

''Soldiers,  who  arrived  among  us  one  clear  June  day,  redolent 
with  the  scent  of  roses,  you  will  always  live  in  our  hearts." 


CHAPTER  XXI 

NEGRO  MUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FRANCE 

Recognition  of  the  Value  of  Mtisic  hy  the  U.  S.  War  Department — 
The  Patriotic  Music  of  Colored  America^ns — Lieutenant  James 
Europe  amd  His  Famous  "Jazz'*  Band — Other  Leaders  amd 
Aggregations  of  Musicians — Enthusiasm  of  the  French  People 
and  Officials  for  American  Music  as  Interpreted  by  These  Col- 
ored Artists  and  Their  Bandsmen. 

**You  cannot  defeat  a  singing  nation,'*  a  keen-witted  observer 
has  said,  in  noting  the  victory  spirit  engendered  by  the  martial 
music,  the  patriotic  songs  and  the  stirring  melodies  of  hearth 
and  home  that  have  moved  the  souls  of  men  to  action  on  all  the 
battlefields  of  history. 

**Send  me  more  singing  regiments,*'  cabled  General  Pershing, 
and  Admiral  Mayo  sent  frequent  requests  that  a  song  leader  organ- 
ize singing  on  every  battleship  of  the  Atlantic  Fleet 

Since  **the  morning  stars  sang  together"  in  Scriptural  nar- 
rative, music  has  exerted  a  profound  influence  upon  mankind, 
be  it  in  peace  or  in  war,  in  gladness  or  in  sorrow,  or  in  the  tender 
sentiment  that  makes  for  love  of  country,  affection  for  kindred  or 
the  divine  passion  for  *'ye  ladye  fair."  Music  knows  no  land  or 
clime,  no  season  or  circumstance,  and  no  race,  creed  or  clan.  It 
speaks  the  language  universal,  and  appeals  to  all  peoples  with  a 
force  irresistible,  and  no  training  in  ethics  or  science  is  necessary 
to  reach  the  common  ground  that  its  philosophy  instinctively 
creates  in  the  human  understanding. 

The  War  Department  was  conscious  of  this  and  gave  practical 
application  to  its  theory  that  music  makes  a  soldier  "fit  to  fight" 
when  it  instituted,  through  the  Commission  on  Training  Camp 
Activities,  a  systematic  program  of  musical  instruction  throughout 
the  American  Army  at  the  home  cantonments  and  followed  up  the 
work  overseas.    It  was  the  belief  that  every  man  became  a  better 

300 


NEGRO  MUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FRANCE  301 

warrior  for  freedom  when  his  mind  could  be  diverted  from  the 
dull  routine  of  camp  life  by  arousing  his  higher  nature  by  song, 
and  that  he  fared  forth  to  battle  with  a  stouter  heart  when  his  steps 
were  attuned  to  the  march  by  bands  that  drove  out  all  fear  of  bodily 
danger  and  robbed  *  *  grim-visaged  war"  of  its  terrors.  Skilled 
song  leaders  were  detailed  to  the  various  camps  and  cantonments 
here  and  abroad,  and  bands  galore  were  brought  into  service  for 
inspiration  and  cheer. 

The  emotional  nature  of  the  Negro  fitted  him  for  this  musical 
program.  The  colored  American  was  a  '  *  close  up  "  in  every  picture 
from  the  start  to  the  finish  and  was  a  conspicuous  figure  in  every 
scenario,  playing  with  credit  and  distinction  alike  in  melody  or 
with  the  musket. 

No  instrumentality  was  more  potent  than  music  in  offsetting 
the  propaganda  of  the  wily  German  agents,  who  sought  to  break 
down  the  loyalty  of  the  Negro.  The  music  he  knew  was  intensely 
American — in  sentiment  and  rhythm.  It  saturated  his  being — and 
all  the  blandishments  of  the  enemy  were  powerless  to  sway  him 
from  the  flag  he  loved.  His  grievances  were  overshadowed  by  the 
realization  that  the  welfare  of  the  nation  was  menaced  and  that  his 
help  was  needed.  American  music  harmonized  with  the  innate 
patriotism  of  the  race,  and  the  majestic  sweep  of  *'The  Star- 
Spangled  Banner"  or  the  sympathetic  appeal  of  *'My  Country, 
'Tis  of  The€,"  were  sufficient  to  counteract  the  sinister  efforts  of 
the  missionaries  of  the  HohenzoUems  to  move  him  from  his  moor- 
ings. 

No  labor  is  ever  so  onerous  that  it  can  bar  music  from  the  soul 
of  black  folk.  This  race  sings  at  work,  at  play  and  in  every  mood. 
Visitors  to  any  army  camp  found  the  Negro  doing  musical  ' '  stunts ' ' 
of  some  kind  from  reveille  to  taps — every  hour,  every  minute  of 
the  day.  All  the  time  the  trumpeters  were  not  blowing  out  actual 
routine  bugle  calls,  they  were  somewhere  practicing  them.  Mouth- 
organs  were  going,  concertinas  were  being  drawn  back  and  forth, 
and  guitars,  banjos,  mandolins  and  whatnot  were  in  use — playipp- 
all  varieties  of  music,  from  the  classic,  like  '^ Lucia,"  ''Poet  and 
Peasant,"  and  "II  Trovatore"  to  the  folk-songs  and  the  rollicking 
**jazz."     Music  is  indeed  the  chief  est  outlet  of  the  Negro's  emo- 


302  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTOKY 

tions,  and  the  state  of  his  soul  can  best  be  determined  by  the  type 
of  melody  he  pours  forth. 

Some  writer  has  said  that  a  handful  of  pipers  at  the  head  of 
a  Scotch  regiment  could  lead  that  regiment  down  the  mouth  of  a 
cannon.  It  is  not  doubted  that  a  Negro  regiment  could  be  made  to 
duplicate  the  "Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade"  at  Balaklava — ''into 
the  mouth  of  hell,"  as  Tennyson  puts  it,  if  one  of  their  regimental 
bands  should  play — as  none  but  a  colored  band  can  play,  the  vivaci- 
ous strains  of  "There'll  Be  a  Hot  Time  in  the  Old  Town  Tonight." 

The  Negro's  love  of  home  is  an  integral  part  of  his  nature, 
and  is  exemplified  in  the  themes  he  plaintively  crooned  in  camp  on 
both  sides  of  the  ocean.  Such  melodies  as  "Carry  Me  Back  to  Old 
Virginia,"  "My  Old  Kentucky  Home,"  "In  the  Evening  by  de 
Moonlight,"  and  "Suwanee  River"  recalled  memories  of  the  "old 
folks  at  home,"  and  kept  his  patriotism  alive,  for  he  hoped  to  re- 
turn to  them  some  day  and  swell  their  hearts  with  pride  by  reason 
of  the  glorious  record  he  made  at  the  front.  The  Negro  is  essentially 
religious,  and  his  deep  spiritual  temperament  is  vividly  illustrated 
by  the  joy  he  finds  in  "harmonizing"  such  ballads  of  ancient  days 
as  "Swing  Low,  Sweet  Chariot,"  "Steal  Away  to  Jesus,"  "Standin' 
in  the  Need  of  Prayer,"  "Every  Time  I  Feel  the  Spirit,"  "I  Wan' 
To  Be  Ready,"  and  'Roll,  Jordan,  Roll."  The  Negro  is  also  an 
optimist,  whether  he  styles  himself  by  that  high-sounding  title  or 
not,  and  the  sincerity  of  his  "make  the  best  of  it"  disposition  is 
noted  in  the  fervor  he  puts  into  those  uplifting  gems,  "Pack  Up 
Your  Troubles  in  Your  Old  Kit  Bag  and  Smile,  Smile,  Smile," 
"There's  a  Long,  Long  Trail,"  "Keep  the  Home  Fires  Burning," 
and  "Good-bye  Broadway,  Hello  France." 

Just  as  the  Negro  folk-songs — or  songs  of  war,  interpreted  with 
the  characteristic  Negro  flavor — stirred  all  France  and  gave  poilu 
and  populace  a  taste  of  the  real  American  music,  the  marvelous 
"jazz  bands"  kept  their  feet  patting  and  their  shoulders  "eagle- 
rocking"  to  its  infectious  motion.  High  officials  are  said  to  have 
been  literally  "carried  away"  with  the  "jazz"  music  furnished  by 
the  colored  bands  "over  there"  during  the  war.  General  Petain 
is  said  to  have  paid  a  visit,  at  the  height  of  the  hostilities,  to  a 
sector  in  which  there  were  American  troops  and  had  "the  time  of 
his  life"  listening  to  a  colored  band  playing  the  entrancing  "jazz" 


NEGRO  MUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FRANCE  303 

music,  with  some  NegTO  dance  stunts  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of 
the  melodies.  He  warmly  congratulated  the  colored  leader  upon 
the  excellence  of  the  work  of  his  organization,  and  thanked  him 
for  the  enjoyable  entertainment  that  had  been  given  hhn.  The 
stolid  Briton  is  scarcely  less  susceptible  to  the  ''jazz"  than  his 
volatile  French  brother,  for  when  another  colored  band  from  "The 
States"  went  to  London  to  head  a  parade  of  American  and  English 
soldiers,  and  halted  at  Buckingham  Palace,  it  is  said  that  King 
George  V  and  Queen  Mary  heard  the  lively  airs  with  undisguised 
enthusiasm  and  were  loath  to  have  the  players  depart  for  the  park 
where  they  were  scheduled  for  a  ct)ncert,  with  a  dance  engagement, 
under  British  military  control,  to  follow.  The  colored  bands  scored 
heavily  with  the  three  great  Allied  Powers  of  Europe  by  rendering 
with  a  brilliant  touch  and  matchless  finish  their  national  anthems, 
"God  Save  the  Queen,"  "La  Marseillaise"  and  the  "Marcia 
Reale." 

"Pilling  France  Full  of  Jazz" 

In  an  illuminating  article,  aboimding  in  wit  and  calling  for 
descriptive  powers  far  out  of  the  ordinary,  Mr.  Charles  Welton, 
in  The  World  Magazine,  New  York  City,  March  30,  1919,  using 
the  unique  title  in  the  subhead  above,  tells  much  of  interest  con- 
cerning the  experiences  of  Lieutenant  James  Eeese  Europe  and 
his  369th  Regiment  Band,  which  is  said  to  have  "jazzed  its  way 
through  France"  and  filled  up  all  the  vacant  spaces  in  "No  Man's 
Land"  with  the  remnants  of  notes  broken  by  shells  and  shrapnel 
as  the  one  hundred  master  "jazzers"  forced  their  lines  to  the  very 
banks  of  the  Rhine,  where  the  world  woke  up  and  found  them  on 
the  day  the  armistice  was  signed.  Mr.  Welton  not  only  gives  a 
clever  recital  of  the  way  the  Europe  aggregation  "jazzed,"  but 
pictures  quite  realistically  the  enthusiasm  of  the  French  people  and 
the  army  officials  for  American  music  of  this  new  type,  as  inter- 
preted by  these  colored   artists. 

The  wi'iter  tells  engagingly  the  story  of  how  "Jim"  Europe 
spent  his  early  boyhood  on  his  native  heath.  Mobile,  Alabama,  con- 
sorting with  fiddles  and  improvised  musical  instruments  until  he 
became  acquainted  with  an  upright  piano,  helped  on  by  a  father  who 
was  himself  something  of  a  sound  manipulator  on  all  kinds  of  "con- 
traptions."    OutgTowing  his   Mobile  environs,   or  "dowTi  in   'the 


304  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

sticks,'  **  as  some  facetious  Northerners  are  fond  of  styling  the 
South,  the  youngster  migrated  to  Washington,  where  he  rapidly 
advanced  in  all  branches  of  music  and  learned  to  play  upon  practic- 
ally every  instrument  known  to  an  orchestra  or  brass  band  and 
became  a  director  of  musical  organizations,  vocal  and  instrumental. 
One  of  Lieut.  Europe's  particular  friends  and  admirers  was 
Col.  William  Hayward,  who  had  fostered  the  development  of  the  15th 
New  York  Regiment  throughout  its  long  struggle  for  recognition  aa 
an  integral  part  of  the  New  York  National  Guard,  and  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  United  States  into  the  war,  Col.  Hayward  became  the 
proud  commander  of  the  recruited  and  accepted  "15th,"  officially 
known  as  the  369th  United  States  Infantry,  which  later  achieved 
international  fame  as  "Hell  Fighters"  and  led  the  Allied  van  to  the 
Rhine  as  the  curtain  fell  upon  the  greatest  tragedy  in  the  annala 
of  the  world. 

How  Europe  and  His  "Jazz  Outfit"  Broke  Into  the  War 

Following  up  the  meteoric  career  of  "Jim"  Europe,  Mr.  Wel- 
ton  goes  on  to  say  : 

"Then  the  war  broke  out,  and  Europe  broke  in.  If  he  had  been 
built  that  way,  he  could  have  ducked  it  and  stayed  in  town  with  his 
bank  deposits;  but  he  couldn't  figure  it.  He  told  Col.  Hayward  that  he 
was  ready  to  follow  or  even  go  ahead  of  the  flag  to  the  last  ounce  of 
jazz,  and  there  were  ninety-nine  others  like  him.  So  the  band  was 
signed  up  and  sworn  in,  and  Daniel  C.  Rcid  and  some  others  made  a 
pool  of  enough  thousands  of  dollars  to  supply  instruments  that  would 
stand  the  wear  and  tear  of  war  and  not  go  bad  if  dented  up  with  shrapnel 
and  such  like. 

"Among  the  men  who  slipped  into  olive  drab  with  the  boss,  come 
weal,  come  woe,  were  Sergeant  Noble  Sissle,  who  played  the  cornet  like 
anything  and  knows  all  the  tricks  of  dram  majoring,  and  sings  like  a  lark, 
and  writes  verses  by  the  yard;  Herbert  and  Steve,  whistlers  and  oh!  such 
drummers;  Raphael  Hernandez,  baritone  saxophoner;  Ward  Andrews,  bet- 
ter known  as  Trombone  Andrews;  Elige  Rijos,  clarinetist,  and  Prank  De 
Bronte,  who  next  to  Europe  himself  is  called  the  king  of  Jazz.  The  re«t 
of  the  band — the  marimbaphones,  the  double  B-flat  helicons,  the  bunch  of 
French  horns  and  all  the  rest  clear  down  to  the  cymbals,  were  manned  by 
other  eminent  operators,  making  what  is  called  a  toot  ensemble  at  one« 
hope-reviving  and  awe-inspiring.  • 


GROUP  OP  OFFICERS  OP  THE   370TH 

Reading-  from  Left  to  Right— Top— 1st  Lt.  Norman  Garrett;  Capt.  John  H.  PaLton.  2nd  Batt.  1st 
J^t.  Michael  Brownmg,  Machmc  Gun  No.  2. 

Centcr~Ca.pt  Spencer  C.  Dixon,  Mod.  Corps  ;  Major  Charles  H.  Hunt,  2nd  Battalion  ;  Capt.  Lib- 
burn  .lackson,  Machme  Gun  No.  2. 

Bottoin~lst  Lt.  Robt.  C.  Chavis  :  1st  Lt.  Benote  H.  Lee;  2nd  Lt.  Frank  Corbin,  all  of  the  370th 
Infantry  (formerly  old  8th  Illinois). 


NEGRO  MUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FRANCE  305 

"To  understand  jazz,  it  is  well  to  know  that  it  isn't  merely  a  series 
of  uncontrollable  spasms  or  outbursts  of  enthusiasm  scattered  through  a 
composition  and  discharged  on  the  four  winds,  first  by  one  wing  and  then 
by  another  of  the  band.  Of  course  if  a  player  feels  an  attack  of  some- 
thing which  he  believes  to  be  a  jazz  novelty  rumbling  in  his  system  it 
is  not  the  Europe  rule  to  make  him  choke  it  back  and  thus  run  the  risk 
of  cheating  the  world  out  of  a  good  thing.  Any  player  can  try  anything 
once.  If  it  doesn't  come  out  a  fliv  on  harmony  it  can  remain  as  a  toot 
to  be  used  whenever  there's  a  place  where  it  won't  crowd  regular  notes 
over  the  bars. 

"The  basic  fundamental  of  jazz,  however,  is  created  by  means  of  a 
variety  of  cones  inserted  point  down  in  the  bells  of  the  horns.  These 
cones  are  of  two  kinds.  One  is  of  metal  and  the  other  of  leather.  The 
leather  cones  are  usually  soaked  in  water  before  the  band  goes  out  for 
a  blow.  The  metal  cones  muffle  and  modify  the  natural  tones  of  the  in- 
struments and  make  them  come  across  with  new  sound  values. 

When  a  leather  cone  is  wrung  out  and  fitted  into  the  vestibule  of  a 
horn,  and  the  man  back  of  the  works  contributes  the  best  that  is  in 
him,  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  explain  what  happens,  in  mere  words. 
You  get  it  with  both  ears,  and  almost  see  it.  The  cone  being  wet,  the 
sound  might  be  called  liquefied  harmony.  It  runs  and  ripples,  then  has 
a  sort  of  choking  sensation;  next  it  takes  on  the  musical  color  of 
Niagara  Falls  at  a  distance,  and  subsides  to  a  trout  brook  nearby.  The 
brassiness  of  the  horn  is  changed,  and  there  is  sort  of  a  throbbing  nasal 
effect,  half  moan,  half  hallelujah.     Get  me? 

"Having  set  this  down,  we  may  now  land  with  the  band  at  Brest, 
France. 

"The  first  thing  that  Jim  Europe's  outfit  did  when  it  got  ashore 
wasn't  to  eat.  It  wanted  France  to  know  that  it  was  present,  so  it 
blew  some  plam  ordinary  jazz  over  the  town.  Twenty  minutes  before 
the  369th  disembarked,  Brest  wasn't  at  all  la-la,  so  to  speak;  but  as 
soon  as  Europe  had  got  to  work,  that  part  of  France  could  see  that  hope 
wasn't  entirely  dead. 

"From  Brest  the  Europe  outfit  went  to  St.  Nazaire,  sowing  jazz 
selections  over  the  agricultural  terrain  and  bunching  bits  of  it  in  the 
cantons  en  route.  There  was  a  rest  center  at  St.  Nazaire.  Europe  went 
to  the  center  of  the  center,  and  for  two  months  all  he  had  to  do  was 
to  help  the  boys  rest  by  providing  a  brand  of  soothing  syrup.  All  the 
sects  in  all  the  sectors  round  about  that  had  carfare  commuted  into  town 
and  lolled  in  the  rest  zone.  The  city  council  adopted  resolutions  and  the 
prefect  delivered  an  eulogium  right  at  Noble  Sissle  and  the  backstop 
of  snare  drums. 


306  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

"A  call  for  help  from  Aix-les-Bains  took  the  band  to  that  resort. 
It  arrived  just  in  time  to  capture  the  casino  in  a  night  attack.  On 
all  fronts  at  this  time  soldiers  that  had  been  dodging  minenwerfei^  were 
buoyed  by  the  promise  that  Jim  Europe  had  enough  jazz  in  stock  to 
last  until  the  war  was  over,  over  there.  Troops  suffering  with  aches  were 
hurried  down  to  Aix — honest,  they  were — and  the  band  did  the  rest. 

Equally  Handy  With  Trombones  or  Machine   Guns. 

"Between  concerts,  so  to  express  it,  the  369th  band  would  get  from 
under  the  coils  of  horns,  unsling  its  drums,  and  load  up  with  machine 
guns  and  go  into  the  deep  and  mussy  trenches  and  practice  on  the  un- 
happy wretches  on  the  other  side  of  no  man's  land.  Europe  himself 
was  the  first  colored  officer  to  rest  elbows  against  a  first-line  trench  in 
one  of  the  uncomfortable  bois  countries.  He  did  solo  work  with  a  ma- 
chine gun  forty  times  heavier  than  a  trombone,  and  actually  got  it  to 
working  in  syncopated  time.  If  we  ever  have  another  war  and  it  could 
be  fought  exclusively  by  syncopating,  Jim  Europe  would  have  a  Major 
General's  rating." 

The  people  everywhere  turned  out  to  hear  the  369th  Regimental 
Band,  and  its  magic  influence  gave  proof  to  the  assertion  by  its 
devotees  that  ''JAZZ  WON  THE  AVAR."  The  retura  of  "Jim" 
Europe's  band  to  America,  when  it  led  the  imposing  parade  up 
Fifth  Avenue,  February  17,  1919,  the  day  the  gallant  369th  was 
welcomed  home  by  a  grateful  nation,  was  an  occasion  that  will  live 
in  history. 

Sergeant  Noble  Sissle,  who  served  as  the  regimental  drimi 
major  of  the  369th,  is  one  of  the  musicians  whose  work  has  "stood 
out"  in  the  estimation  of  the  people  on  the  other  side  of  the  water. 
Noble  Sissle  was  reared  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  which  boasts  of 
having  furnished  more  real  talent  to  the  colored  musical  and  dra- 
matic world  than  any  other  spot  on  earth,  and  his  father.  Rev. 
George  A.  Sissle,  was  a  one-time  pastor  of  Simpson  M.  E.  Chapel 
in  the  Hoosier  capital,  as  well  as  prominent  in  ministerial  circles 
at  many  points  in  Ohio  and  Kentucky.  Young  Sissle  has  won  an 
enviable  reputation  as  a  tenor  soloist,  composer  and  pianist,  and 
is  regarded  as  one  of  Lieutenant  Europe's  most  dependable  aids, 
both  in  the  Clef  Club  in  New  York  and  in  the  regimental  band  work 
overseas. 

Sergeant  Sissle  has  made  a  study  of  the  effect  of  Yankee  rag- 


NEGRO  MUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FRANCE  307 

time,  as  interpreted  by  the  colored  artists,  on  French  audiences, 
and  advantage  may  be  taken  of  this  opportunity  to  give  a  summary 
of  his  impressions,  as  prepared  for  interested  friends  ''over  here." 
It  covers  much  heretofore  unknown  matter  in  connection  with  the 
marvelous  369th  Infantry  Band  and  the  intricacies  of  ragtime 
or  ''jazz"  construction  in  general.  Sergeant  Sissle  wrote,  in  part, 
as  follows: 

"When  our  country  was  dance-mad  a  few  years  ago,  we  quite  agreed 
with  the  popular  Broadway  song  composer  who  wrote: 
'Syncopation  rules  the  nation 
You  can't  get  away  from  it.' 

"But  if  you  could  see  the  effect  our  good  old  'jazz'  melodies  have 
on  the  people  of  every  race  and  creed  you  would  change  the  word  'nation' 
quoted  above  to  'world.' 

"Inasmuch  as  the  press  seems  to  have  kept  the  public  well  informed 
of  our  band's  effort  to  make  the  boys  happy  in  this  land  where  everybody 
speaks  everything  but  English,  I  will  endeavor  to  start  off  with  a  few 
notes  concerning  James  Reese  Europe,  its  organizer  and  conductor.  This 
Lieutenant  Europe  is  the  same  Europe  whose  orchestras  are  considered 
to  have  done  a  goodly  share  toward  making  syncopated  music  popular 
on  Broadway.  Having  been  associated  with  Lieutenant  Europe  in  civil 
life  during  his  'jazz  bombardment*  on  the  delicate,  classical,  musical  ears 
of  New  York's  critics,  and  having  watched  'The  Walls  of  Jericho'  come 
tumbling  down,  I  was  naturally  curious  to  see  what  would  be  the  effect 
of  a  'real  American  tune,'  as  Victor  Herbert  calls  our  Southern  synco- 
pated tunes,  as  played  by  a  real  American  band. 

"At  last  the  opportunity  came,  and  it  was  at  a  town  in  France  where 
there  were  no  American  troops,  and  our  audience,  with  the  exception  of 
an  American  general  and  his  staff,  was  all  French  people.  I  am  sure  the 
greater  part  of  the  crowd  had  never  heard  a  ragtime  number.  So  what 
happened  can  be  taken  as  a  test  of  the  success  of  our  music  in  this  coun- 
try, where  all  is  sadness  and  sorrow. 

"The  program  started  with  a  French  march,  followed  by  favorite 
overtures  and  vocal  selections  by  our  male  quartette,  all  of  which  were 
heartily  applauded.  The  second  part  of  the  program  opened  %vith  'The 
Stars  and  Stripes  Forever,'  the  great  Sousa  march,  and  before  the  last 
note  of  the  martial  ending  had  been  finished  the  house  was  ringing  with 
applause.  Next  followed  an  arrangement  of  'Plantation  Melodies'  and 
then  came  the  fireworks,  'The  Memphis  Blues.' 

"Lieutenant  Europe,  before  raising  his  baton,  twitched  his  shoulders, 


306  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

apparently  to  be  sure  that  his  tight-fitting  military  coat  would  stand  the 
strain,  each  musician  shifted  his  feet,  the  players  of  brass  horns  blew  the 
saliva  from  their  instruments,  the  drummers  tightened  their  dirumheads, 
every  one  settled  back  in  their  seats,  half  closed  their  eyes,  and  when  the 
baton  came  down  with  a  swoop  that  brought  forth  a  soul-rousing  crash 
both  director  and  musicians  seemed  to  forget  their  surroundings;  they 
were  lost  in  scenes  and  memories.  Cornet  and  clarinet  players  began  to 
manipulate  notes  in  that  typical  rhythm  (that  rhythm  which  no  artist 
has  ever  been  able  to  put  down  on  paper) ;  as  the  drummers  struck  their 
stride  their  shoulders  began  shaking  in  time  to  their  syncopated  raps. 

**Then,  it  seemed,  the  whole  audience  began  to  sway,  dignified  French 
officers  began  to  pat  their  feet  along  with  the  American  general,  who, 
temporarily,  had  lost  his  style  and  grace.  Lieutenant  Europe  was  no 
longer  the  Lieutenant  Europe  of  a  moment  ago,  but  once  more  Jim 
Europe,  who  a  few  months  ago  rocked  New  York  with  his  syncopated 
baton.  His  body  swayed  in  willowy  motions  and  his  head  was  bobbing  as 
it  did  in  days  when  tepsichorean  festivities  reigned  supreme.  He  turned 
to  the  trombone  players,  who  sat  impatiently  waiting  for  their  cue  to 
have  a  'Jazz  spasm,'  and  they  drew  their  slides  out  to  the  extremity  and 
jerked  them  back  with  that  characteristic  crack. 

"The  audience  could  stand  it  no  longer;  the  'Jazz  germ'  hit  them, 
and  it  seemed  to  find  the  vital  spot,  loosening  all  muscles  and  causing 
what  is  known  in  America  as  an  'Eagle  Rocking  Fit.'  'There  now,'  I 
said  to  myself.  'Colonel  Hay  ward  has  brought  his  band  over  here  and 
started  ragtimitis  in  France;  ain't  this  an  awful  thing  to  visit  upon  a 
nation  with  so  many  burdens?'  But  when  the  band  had  finished  and  the 
people  were  roaring  with  laughter,  their  faces  wreathed  in  smiles,  I  was 
forced  to  say  that  this  is  just  what  France  needs  at  this  critical  moment. 

"All  through  France  the  same  thing  happened.  Troop  trains  carry- 
ing Allied  soldiers  from  everywhere  passed  us  en  route,  and  every  head 
came  out  of  the  window  when  we  struck  up  a  good  old  Dixie  tune.  Even 
German  prisoners  forgot  they  were  prisoners,  dropped  their  work  to 
listen  and  pat  their  feet  to  the  stirring  American  tunes. 

"But  the  thing  that  capped  the  climax  happened  up  in  Northern 
France.  "We  were  playing  our  Colonel's  favorite  ragtime,  'The  Army 
Blues,'  in  a  little  village  where  we  were  the  first  American  troops 
there,  and  among  the  crowd  listening  to  that  band  was  an  old  lady  about 
sixty  years  of  age.  To  everyone's  surprise,  all  of  a  sudden,  she  started 
doing  a  dance  that  resembled  'Walking  the  Dog.'  Then  I  was  cured,  and 
satisfied  that  American  music  would  some  day  be  the  world's  music. 
While  at  Aix  les  Bains  other  musicians  from  American  bands  said  their 
experiences  had  been  the  same. 


NEGRO  JVIUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FRANCE  309 

**Who  would  think  that  little  U.  S.  A.  would  ever  give  to  the  world 
a  rhythm  and  melodies  that,  in  the  nadst  of  such  universal  sorrow,  would 
eause  all  students  of  music  to  yearn  to  learn  how  to  play  it?  Such  is  th« 
case,  because  every  musician  we  meet — and  they  all  seem  to  be  masters  of 
their  instruments — are  always  asking  the  boys  to  teach  them  how  to  play 
ragtime.  I  sometimes  think  if  the  Kaiser  ever  heard  a  good  syncopated 
melody  he  would  not  take  himself  so  seriously. 

"If  France  was  well  supplied  with  American  bands,  playing  their 
lively  tunes,  I'm  sure  it  would  help  a  good  deal  in  bringing  home  enter- 
tainment to  our  boys,  and  at  the  same  time  make  the  heart  of  sorrow- 
stricken  France  beat  a  deal  lighter." 

Sissle  was  made  a  Lieutenant  before  he  returned  with  his  regi- 
ment from  overseas. 

This  resume  of  how  Negro  music  thrilled  France  brings  to 
mind  an  interesting  and  pathetic  story  of  an  experience  in  a  little 
war-stricken  town  of  the  369th  Infantry  Band  and  its  agile  drum 
major — this  same  Noble  Sissle.  After  the  band  had  finished  its 
output  of  ''Army  Blues,"  etc.,  the  program  shifted  to  plantation 
melodies,  and  the  auditors  were  literally  overcome  by  the  power  of 
the  songs,  which  were  sung  as  only  Negroes  can  sing  them. 

Dr.  R.  R.  Moton  used  to  say  in  his  Tuskegee  Talks  that  **the 
white  people  can  beat  the  Negro  doing  a  great  many  things,  but 
there  is  one  thing  at  which  no  white  man  can  beat  the  Negro,  and 
that  is  in  the  singing  of  Negro  songs." 

The  closing  piece  on  this  occasion  was  *'Joan  of  Arc,"  ren- 
dered by  Drum  Major  Sissle,  in  a  beautiful  rich  baritone.  He 
sang  it  first  in  English  and  then  in  excellent  French.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  this  Joan  of  Arc  was  the  *'Maid  of  Orleans"  that 
came  as  a  mysterious  child  from  the  womb  of  destiny  to  liberate 
the  French  at  a  time  when  their  national  existence  hung  in  the 
balance,  and  her  memory  is  revered  throughout  France  as  a  patron 
saint.  As  Drum  Major  Sissle  sang,  the  people  wept.  One  be- 
whiskered  peasant,  an  elderly  man,  with  tears  streaming  down  his 
age-hardened  cheeks,  rushed  up  to  this  man  of  color, — an  apostle 
of  liberty,  a  man  with  many  wrongs,  but  like  the  ''Man  of  Galilee," 
willing  to  forget — and  strenuously  attempted  to  throw  his  arms 
around  the  neck  of  the  singer  and  kiss  him. 


310  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  350th  Field  Artillery  Band 

The  350th  Field  Artillery  Band,  led  by  Lieutenant  J.  Tim 
Brymm,  of  Philadelphia,  won  fame  in  France,  and  received  a  royal 
welcome  upon  its  return  home  in  March,  after  an  absence  of  about 
a  year.  The  band  has  about  70  soloists,  recruited  ''from  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth,"  as  its  organizer.  General  Fred  T.  Austin, 
facetiously  puts  it.  The  organization  returned  to  Philadelphia  under 
flattering  auspices,  and  Lieutenant  Biymm,  who  has  won  distinction 
as  a  composer,  had  two  new  offeiings  for  the  home-coming  recep- 
tion, ''The  Philadelphia  Sunday  Blues,"  a  glittering  "jazz"  con- 
ceit, and  the  "Dieulouard  Glide,"  the  latter  a  fox-trot  composed 
by  Lieutenant  Brymm  as  descriptive  of  an  artillery  bombardment. 
It  depicts  the  course  of  a  heavy  artillery  shell  from  the  beginning 
of  its  flight  to  its  explosion,  and  was  composed  during  one  of  the 
regiment's  fiercest  artillery  duels.  Lieutenant  Brymm  has  given 
the  country  hundreds  of  popular  song  hits,  the  best-known  of  which 
is  perhaps  "Please  Go  'Way  and  Let  Me  Sleep,"  which  had  quite 
a  vogue  some  years  ago. 

Among  the  thousands  of  appreciative  welcomers  that  packed 
the  Academy  of  Music  was  Mme.  Ernestine  Schumann-Heink,  the 
famous  operatic  contralto,  who  has  evinced  deep  interest  in  a 
number  of  aspiring  colored  composers,  and  who  is  styled  "the  god- 
mother of  the  350th  band,"  and  its  chief  sponsor.  Some  wag  has 
described  Tim  Brymm 's  Band  as  "a  military  symphony  engaged  in 
a  battle  of  jazz."  Lieutenant  Brymm  also  did  excellent  work  as 
leader  of  the  band  of  the  349th  Field  Artillery  for  quite  an  extended 
period,  and  brought  it  up  to  a  high  standard. 

Other  Regimental  Bands  That  "Made  Good"  in  France 

Other  bands  that  made  a  record  in  France,  and  whose  expe- 
riences were  much  the  same  as  those  chronicled  with  reference  to 
the  bands  of  the  369th  Infantry  and  350th  Field  Artillery  were: 
The  368th  Infantry  Band,  directed  by  Lieutenant  A.  Jack  Thomas; 
the  parade  at  Baltimore  before  going  overseas  afforded  President 
and  including  Edgar  Landin,  the  drum  major  whose  evolutions  in 
Wilson  and  his  party  so  much  solid  enjoyment; 


NEGRO  IVrUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FR.i^s^CE  311 

The  370tli  Infantry  (the  *'01d  Eighth  lUinois"  Regiment) 
Band,  directed  by  Lieutenant  George  E.  Dulf ; 

The  349th  and  351st  Field  Artillery  and  the  365th,  366th  and 
367th  Regiments  of  Infantry  all  had  bands  that  gave  a  splendid 
account  of  themselves  on  both  sides  of  the  ocean. 

Several  of  these  unique  organizations  toured  the  country 
shortly  after  their  return  from  overseas,  visiting  many  of  the 
principal  cities,  and  were  accorded  the  warmest  kind  of  a  reception 
eveiywhere  arrangements  were  made  for  their  appearance.  Their 
work  was  inspirational  to  the  last  degi'ee.  Tlie  band  of  the  370th 
Infantry  (Eighth  Illinois)  scored  heavily  throughout  the  North  and 
East,  with  the  celebrated  coloratura  soprano,  Mme.  Anita  Patti 
Brown,  of  Chicago,  as  prima  donna  and  soloist. 

Among  the  bands  that  have  done  good  work  in  this  country, 
the  16th  Battalion  Band  of  the  Minnesota  Home  Guards,  under  the 
leadership  of  William  H.  Howard,  is  warmly  praised  in  the  North- 
west. Mr.  Howard  was  commissioned  as  a  First  Lieutenant.  He 
is  a  native  of  Baltimore  and  for  several  years  conducted  one  of  the 
leading  musical  studios  in  Minneapolis. 

Some  of  the  Song  Leaders 

The  song  leaders  who  trained  the  soldier  lads  in  mass  singing 
in  the  home  camps  contributed  largely  to  the  morale  of  the  army 
and  their  labors,  rendered  in  many  instances  at  a  heavy  personal 
sacrLfice,  are  deserving  of  the  highest  commendation.  They  made 
camp  life  happy,  when  the  hearts  of  the  men  were  sad  from  home- 
sickness, and  every  task  was  made  lighter  by  the  song  that  a<JCom- 
panied  it.  In  Y.  M.  C.  A.  huts,  in  the  open  field,  and  as  the  boys 
whiled  away  the  time  in  the  highways  and  byways  of  the  camp 
area,  the  song  leaders  were  on  deck  and  had  them  humming  some 
care-destroying  melody  which  brought  a  silver  lining  to  the  threat- 
ening clouds.  Of  these  leaders,  J.  E.  Blanton,  Max  Weinstein  and 
William  C.  Elkins,  deserve  especial  mention. 

Service  Rendered  Colored  Soldiers  by  Mrs.  Balcer 

Among  the  remembrances  of  the  war  period  are  the  visits  of 
Mrs.  Newton  D.  Baker,  the  wife  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  who 
sang  in  the  camps  and  cantonments  and  the  clubs  of  the  War  Camp 


312  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Community  Service,  and  in  various  city  auditoriums.  The  appear- 
ances of  Mrs.  Baker  at  Howard  University,  at  Dunbar  High  School, 
at  ^ar  Camp  Community  Club  No.  3,  Camp  Meade  and  other 
places  near  "Washington,  where  soldiers  and  civilians  were  sta- 
tioned, were  most  welcome  '^ breaks"  in  the  daily  routine  of  the 
soldiers.  Her  singing  always  met  with  an  enthusiastic  reception, 
commingling  in  her  selections  the  military,  the  folk-song  and  the 
baUad  of  heart-appeal,  and  the  insistent  demands  for  more,  despite 
the  extraordinary  draft  upon  her  patience  and  powers,  were  re- 
sponded to  in  a  measure  that  was  generous  to  the  last  degree.  She 
enjoyed  her  faculty  of  giving  joy  to  others,  and  it  cannot  be  doubted 
that  Mrs.  Baker's  talents  as  a  singer,  and  her  rare  capacity  for 
clieering  white  and  colored  Americans  "to  do  their  best,  whate'er 
betide,"  exerted  a  potent  influence  toward  the  winning  of  the  war. 

It  was  arranged  with  the  War  Camp  Community  Service  that 
J.  E.  Blanton,  of  the  Penn  School,  should  go  from  camp  to  camp, 
leading  the  men  in  the  singing  of  the  spirituals,  teaching  them  the 
''Hymn  of  Freedom,"  written  by  Mrs.  Burlin,  a  student  of  Negro 
hymn-songs,  and  exerting  his  influence  in  sustaining  the  morale 
which  has  ever  characterized  the  coloretl  troops.  The  plan  was 
heartily  endorsed  by  Secretary  of  War  Baker,  who,  in  a  letter 
written  to  Mr.  Peabody,  said: 

**I  am  quite  sure  that  you  are  not  overestimating  the  effect  of 
these  spirituals.  Indeed,  there  is  a  certain  cadence  to  these  songs 
which  is  quite  unattainable  in  any  music  with  which  I  am  ac- 
quainted, and  I  have  little  doubt  that  the  white  soldiers  will  be 
singing  them  as  eagerly  and  effectively  as  the  colored  men  before 
we  get  veiw  far  with  it." 

In  an  interesting  article  in  The  Outlook  magazine,  Miss 
Grant  makes  note  of  the  fact  that  the  use  of  these  spirituals 
was  not  restricted  to  colored  camps.  The  "Hymn  of  Free- 
dom," for  instance,  she  says,  has  been  sung  in  white  churches, 
schools  and  service  clubs  and  by  choral  organizations  connected 
with  the  war  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  thus  justifying  the 
hope  that  the  noble  old  Negro  melody  would  become  a  bond  of 
sympathy  between  the  races.  The  statement  is  made  that  the 
writing  of  the  words  was  in  part  prompted  by  Mrs.  Burlin 's  belief 
that  "the  artistic  utterance  of  the  Negro,  which  has  so  important  a 


NEGRO  MUSIC  THAT  STIRRED  FRANCE  313 

place  in  the  music  of  America,  might  help  to  build  a  bridge  of 
understanding  between  the  races,  spanning  the  chasm  of  prejudice." 

These  songs,  many  of  the  titles  of  which  have  been  quoted 
throughout  this  chapter  on  Negxo  music,  along  with  the  hundreds  of 
patriotic  war  melodies  by  our  skilled  composers  of  the  modern 
school,  were  carried  to  France  by  the  colored  troops,  and  toward 
the  close  of  the  conflict  they  found  an  additional  champion  in  Dr. 
Moton,  himself  an  unrivaled  interpreter  of  the  ''spiritual,"  who 
went  abroad  at  the  request  of  President  Wilson  and  Secretary 
Baker  to  assist  in  safeguarding  the  welfare  of  the  black  soldiers 
on  the  battle  fronts. 

Miss  Grant  is  firm  in  the  belief  that  the  work  of  promoting 
the  folk-song,  with  its  accompanying  Americanism,  has  suggestion 
for  the  future  in  the  nation's  dealing  with  the  Negro,  and  the 
solution  of  what  has  come  to  be  known  as  the  "race  problem." 
Her  admirable  article  closes  with  a  quotation  from  Mrs.  Burlin, 
in  the  sentiment  of  which  she  concurs  most  heartily: 

"Through  toil  and  suffering  song  has  kept  the  heart  of  the 
Negro  still  unembittered ;  through  prejudice  and  misunderstanding 
it  has  upheld  him;  through  the  stress  and  sacrifice  of  this  white 
man's  war  it  has  cheered  him  on.  And,  those  who  recognize  its 
power  are  surely  not  wrong  in  feeling  that  in  the  inspired  musio 
of  the  black  man  lie  a  prophecy  of  the  possibities  of  the  race  and 
an  earnest  plea  for  that  democracy  at  home  which  cannot  be  won 
by  bomb  or  bullet,  but  by  sympathy  and  understanding  and  a 
realization  of  the  contribution  which  each  race  can  make  to  the 
civilization  of  the  world." 

Some  of  the  Compositions  That  Counted 

Thousands  of  creditable  compositions,  vocal  and  instrumental, 
marches,  duets,  quartets  and  choruses,  have  been  brought  out  by 
gifted  colored  musicians  throughout  the  land.  Of  the  long  list  of 
such  compositions,  a  song  "The  Colored  Soldier  Boys  of  Uncle 
Sam,"  by  W.  J.  Nickerson,  of  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  dedicated  to 
the  colored  soldiers  of  the  U.  S.  A.,  occupies  a  conspicuous  place. 
The  music  is  in  march  time,  and  has  a  lively  step  and  a  resonant 
swing  that  gives  it  an  especial  appeal  to  all  who  appreciate  the 
combination  of  classic  style  with  the  sprightliness  of  the  melodies 


314  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

that  make  movement  their  chief  function.  The  words  of  this 
meritorious  production  are  also  by  Mr.  Nickerson,  and  they  carry 
a    sentiment   that   is    at    once    eloquent    and    convincing    in    their 

patriotism, 

** There 'U  be  no  stop,   'till  we're  over  the  top, 
We're  the  colored  boys  of  Uncle  Sam!" 

Mr.  Nickerson 's  inspiring  war  song  acquired  a  large  measure 
of  popularity  through  its  use  by  Mme.  Anita  Patti  Brown,  prima 
donna  soprano,  in  the  nation-wide  concert  tour  of  the  8th  Regiment 
(or  370th)  shortly  after  the  signing  of  the  armistice. 

The  Negro  troops  of  Camp  Shelby  composed  a  song  of  their 
own  and  dedicated  it  to  their  military  cantonment.  The  men  at 
this  camp  were  all  Southern  bom,  and  the  theme  bore  strongly  upon 
their  attachment  to  the  land  in  which  they  first  saw  the  light  and 
their  comprehension  of  the  joys  of  army  life.  The  hymn  was 
entitled  *' Glory,  Glory  to  Old  Shelby,"  and  was  sung  to  the  tune 
of  ''The  Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic." 

Miss  Naunie  G.  Board,  a  young  colored  woman  of  Louisville, 
Kentucky,  won  first  place  in  a  contest  for  producing  the  best  orig- 
inal war  song,  securing  this  laurel  in  competition  with  a  field  of 
contestants  nearly  all  white.  The  contest  was  conducted  by  the 
United  War  "Work  Campaign  Committee  of  the  State  of  Kentucky. 
Miss  Board  graduated  from  Howard  University  and  became  a 
teacher  in  the  State  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Institute,  Nashville, 
Tennessee. 

After  all  is  said  of  the  mesmeric  influence  of  Negro  music 
upon  France,  and  of  the  high-grade  morale  maintained  in  camps 
and  communities  over  here  through  its  magic  wand,  the  world  is 
impressed  with  the  thought  that  melody  is  indeed  the  common 
tongue  of  mankind,  and  that  the  Negro-American  music  that  filled 
the  hills  and  dales  overseas  has  forged  a  link  of  international 
friendship  that  will  last  for  all  time,  and  has  built  up  a  spirit  of 
fellowship  and  cameraderie  between  the  races,  white  and  black,  that 
will  lay  the  foundation  of  an  enduring  human  brotherhood  through- 
out the  earth. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  SUPPLY 

A  Vast  Army  of  Colored  Stevedores  in  France — Their  Important 
and  Efficient  Work — Essential  to  the  Combatant  Army  in  the 
Trenches — Their  Loyalty  and  Cheerfulness — Important  Lessons 
Learned  in  the  War  —  The  Labor  Battalions  —  W ell-Earned 
Tributes  to  These  Splendid  Colored  Workers  Overseas, 

War  is  not  all  ** death  and  glory."  For  every  soldier  who  gets 
even  a  glimpse  of  the  enemy  or  risks  his  life  within  range  of  shell- 
fire,  there  must,  in  all  modern  warfare,  be  from  twenty  to  thirty  men 
working  at  such  commonplace  and  routine  tasks  as  loading  and 
unloading  ships,  building  piers,  laying  railroad  tracks,  making 
roads,  in  a  thousand  other  ways  making  it  possible  for  the  fighting 
men  to  get  to  the  front,  and  for  the  necessary  food,  ammunition, 
and  other  supplies  to  reach  them.  But  what  man  would  want  to 
render  such  service?  It  was  somewhat  exciting  news  for  the  Negro 
population  of  the  United  States  to  learn  that  only  about  twenty 
per  cent  of  the  colored  draftees  were  to  be  trained  to  fight  while 
the  remaining  Negroes  in  the  military  service  would  constitute  non- 
combatant  divisions  in  the  Service  of  Supply,  or  other  non-fighting 
organizations.  On  June  23,  1918,  when  237,000  Negroes  had  been 
called  to  the  colors,  it  was  estimated  that  the  battalions  of  the  non- 
combatant  to  the  combatant  troops  were  in  the  proportion  of  about 
four  to  one. 

This  vast  army  of  Stevedores  in  France  was  composed  mostly 
of  men  who  volunteered  when  the  call  was  first  sounded.  The  first 
men  who  went  over  early  in  June,  1917,  were  with  a  civilian  con- 
tract company,  experienced  as  stevedores  in  America.  They  served 
one  year  and  finishing  their  contract  in  June,  1918,  returned  to 
America.  During  the  early  days  of  July,  1917,  other  companies  of 
volunteer  men  arrived,  so  the  army  grew  until  the  Stevedore  Camps 
at  base  ports  in  France  became  one  great  industrial  army,  number- 
ing about  fifty  thousand. 

315 


316  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  army  of  Stevedores  had  all  the  equipment,  regulations, 
and  military  rank  and  uniform  that  the  infantry  had.  Though 
industrial  in  its  nature,  all  the  life  and  workings,  and  details  of 
procedure,  were  according  to  military  law  and  order.  This  vast 
army  of  workers  was  divided  into  companies  and  regiments  and 
had  their  individual  camps  regularly  officered  and  numbered.  Any- 
thing by  the  way  of  uniform  and  ration  that  other  men  received, 
the  Stevedore  shared  equally.  They  were  soldiers  and  took  great 
pride  in  the  fact  that  they  belonged  to  Uncle  Sam's  Army.  Includ- 
ing all  the  display  that  goes  with  drills,  reviews,  and  inspections, 
saluting  an  officer,  flag-raising,  and  perchance,  the  grand  parades, 
with  companies  swinging  into  line,  and  the  martial  music  of  bands, 
the  Stevedores  always  stepped  proudly  and  lively  enough  to  suit 
the  keenest  military  eye  for  discipline  and  fine  training. 

The  Stevedores  also  took  great  pride  in  their  companies,  their 
camps,  and  all  that  belonged  to  the  Army,  and  because  their  work 
and  contribution  were  always  emphasized  by  officers  as  being  essen- 
tial to  the  boys  in  the  trenches,  the  name  *' Stevedore"  finally 
became  a  dignified  and  distinguished  term,  representing  an  impor- 
tant part  of  the  great  American  Army. 

To  the  Negro  soldiers  of  the  American  Army  fell  a  large  part 
of  the  work  of  this  ''Service  of  Supply,"  or,  as  it  was  known  in 
Army  slang,  the  *'S.  0.  S."  The  work  of  the  Negro  Stevedore 
Regiments  and  Labor  Battalions,  and  their  unremitting  toil  at  the 
French  ports — Brest,  St.  Nazaire,  Bordeaux,  Havre,  Marseilles — 
won  the  highest  praise  from  all  who  have  had  an  opportunity  to 
judge  of  the  efficiency  of  their  work.  Every  man  who  served  his 
country  in  one  of  these  organizations  was  as  truly  fighting  to  save 
his  country  as  though  he  had  carried  a  rifle  and  killed  Germans. 

The  following  are  the  Negro  organizations,  other  than  combat 
troops,  that  served  overseas: 

Butchery  Companies,  Nos.  322  and  363. 

Stevedore  Reg-iments,  Nos.  301,  302  and  303. 

Stevedore  Battalions,  Nos.  701,  702. 

Engineer  Service  Battalions,  Nos.  505  to  550,  inclusive. 

Labor  Battalions,  Nos.  304  to  315,  inclusive;  Nos.  317  to  327, 
inclusive ;  Nos.  329  to  348,  inclusive,  and  No.  357. 

Labor  Companies,  Nos.  301  to  324,  inclusive. 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  SUPPLY  317 

Pioneer  Infantry  Battalions,  Nos.  801  to  809,  inclusive;  No.  811 
and  Nos.  813  to  816,  inclusive. 

At  the  same  time,  there  were  207  Labor  Battalions  in  France 
composed  of  white  soldiers. 

As  there  were  not  sufficient  colored  officers  to  command  the 
colored  regiments  and  no  efforts  were  being  made  to  train  colored 
officers  for  this  purpose,  there  was  much  apprehension  among  the 
colored  people  as  to  how  these  Negro  laborers  in  the  military 
service  would  be  treated.  Some  said  it  meant  the  re-enslavement 
of  the  Negro  race.  An  effort  was  then  made  to  increase  the 
facilities  for  military  training  offered  to  colored  draftees  in  the 
various  camps  to  supply  this  peculiar  need  of  the  Service  battalions, 
and  some  encouragement  and  some  actual  deeds  to  meet  this  demand 
followed.  It  was  argued  not  only  that  officers  to  be  placed  in  charge 
of  these  noncombatant  troops  should  be  well  trained  themselves,  but 
that  the  Negro  laborers  should  be  given  an  opportunity  to  be 
trained  in  military  tactics.  A  memorial  was,  therefore,  made  to 
the  Secretary  of  War  by  the  Centeal  Committee  of  Negeo  College 
Mex,  recommending  that  the  noncombatant  units  excluded  from  the 
officer  training  privileges  be  allowed  through  the  extension  of 
training  pri\dleges  to  supply  their  o^vn  quota  of  noncombatant 
officers,  and  that  for  the  general  good  of  the  service  such  troops 
be  given  at  least  one  month 's  military  training  before  being  assigned 
to  their  specific  duties. 

Arduous  Tasks  for  the  Army 

The  tasks  of  these  soldiers  in  the  Sei-vice  of  Supply  were 
numerous.  On  arriving  at  the  ports  they  were  called  upon  to 
handle  bags  of  mail  and  freight  sent  to  supply  the  Army.  The 
Army  had  to  be  furnished  with  horses  and  mules,  which  had  to  be 
fed  with  forage  and  supplied  with  saddles  and  harness.  The  men 
needed  ice,  meat,  bacon,  flour,  and  lard,  and  for  comfort  shoes, 
clothes,  matches,  ipecac,  and  gasoline.  "VVlien  our  Army  was  in  full 
swing  in  France  we  had  to  hurry  up  the  shipments  of  millions  of 
rounds  of  ammunition  and  large  supplies  of  blankets,  rubber-boots, 
hay,  and  medicines  to  carry  out  the  great  work  of  promoting 
the  war. 


318  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

When  brought  to  the  various  ports,  an  unusual  number  of 
laborers  were  required  to  unload  such  supplies.  "\i\Tien  unloaded 
the  task  of  transporting  them  to  the  various  points  for  distribution 
among  the  divisions  of  the  Army  was  a  still  greater  task.  As 
railroads  were  not  always  available  and  railway  connections  had 
been  broken  up  by  the  penetration  of  the  Germans  almost  into  the 
heart  of  France,  automobile  transportation  was  a  necessity.  In 
this  same  ser^dce  French  cattle  cars,  the  ox-cart,  the  motorcycle, 
side-cars,  aeroplanes,  and  human  beings  as  beasts  of  burden  were 
used. 

The  task  was  rendered  somewhat  easier  later  when  these  same 
men  increased  sufficiently  in  numbers  to  be  detached  for  the  special 
service  of  building  Yankee  railroads.  This  made  possible  an  easier 
handling  of  these  supplies  through  storage  depots  located  at  various 
places  in  France.  The  storage  depot  at  Gievres,  through  which 
millions  of  Amencan  wealth  passed  in  the  Army  like  Avater  over  a 
milldam,  covers  six  square  miles.  It  was  started  in  the  fall  of  1917 
and  when  the  war  ended  the  Army  had  there  about  twenty  miles  of 
warehouses  and  shops  of  modern  construction  and  about  25,000 
men  handling  the  enormous  masses  of  stores  distributed  from  that 
point.  From  such  warehouses  were  distributed  everything  except 
artillery,  heavy  ammunition  and  aeroplane  products,  which  had 
supply  depots  of  their  own  at  Mehun  and  Eomorantin.  This  depot 
is  diamond-shaped,  with  140  miles  of  interior  railroad  lines  within 
the  resei'vation  for  the  handling  of  freight. 

How  the  colored  .American  Stevedores  in  France  worked  is 
told  in  a  report  by  the  Reverend  D.  Leroy  Ferguson,  Hector  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  Our  Merciful  Saviour,  Louisville, 
Kentuclcy.  He  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  American  Army  of  Colored 
Stevedores  in  a  lengthy  account  which  tells  of  their  patriotic  deeds. 

On  the  same  day  that  the  American  Infantry,  treading  in  the 
wake  of  the  retreating  Germans  gained  the  outskirts  of  Fismes, 
says  he.  Colored  Stevedores  unloading  a  ship  at  one  of  the  base 
ports,  unostentatiously  won  an  important  victory  by  discharging 
1200  tons  of  flour  in  91/2  hours,  setting  a  record  for  the  A.  E.  F. 
and  a  pace  which  is  rarely  excelled  on  the  best-equipped  docks  in 
the  United  States.  The  same  gTOTip  of  Stevedores  over  a  period 
of  five  days  discharged  axi  average  ctf  2000  tons  of  caTgo  a  day  from 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  SUPPLY  819 

one  ship,  a  record  more  notable  still.  It  was  a  24-liour-a-day  grind 
at  the  base  ports,  he  says,  where  thousands  of  American  colored 
troops  put  ashore  the  million  and  one  articles,  big  and  little,  which 
are  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  a  modern  army.  The  scarcity 
of  ocean  tonnage  made  necessary  the  utilization  of  every  ounce  of 
ship  capacity,  and  the  saving  of  every  possible  moment  in  dispatch- 
ing supplies  to  France. 

With  the  same  force  with  which  American  line  units  made  their 
debut  in  a  big  scale  warfare,  did  the  other  branches  of  the  service 
upon  whose  efforts  depend  the  potency  and  effectiveness  of  the  men 
in  the  trenches  accomplish  their  less  spectacular  but  equally  impor- 
tant work; — more  work  was  accomplished  in  the  S.  0.  S.  by  an 
appreciable  percentage  during  July,  1918,  than  in  any  previous 
month.  More  dirt  was  excavated;  on  the  rail  lines  of  communica- 
tion, more  steel  was  laid;  more  warehouses  were  constructed;  and 
more  conspicuous  still,  at  the  base  ports,  more  men  were  landed, 
more  freight  was  discharged  from  incoming  ships,  and  the  efficiency 
of  its  handling  was  materially  increased. 

Most  of  the  American  colored  Stevedores  had  never  seen  a  ship 
until  they  started  for  France,  but  they  proved  their  worth  as  cargo 
handlers.  Working  in  the  hold  of  a  ship,  with  the  August  sun 
raising  heat  waves  from  the  deck,  was  not  the  easiest  job  in  the 
Army,  but  they  broke  records  at  it,  and  it  did  not  dampen  their 
sunny  dispof^ition  either. 

How  splendidly  the  Stevedores  measured  up  to  military  stand- 
ards of  efficiency  while  ^'making  good,"  and  ^4th  what  great 
affection  their  officers  regarded  them  and  their  work,  Dr.  Ferguson 
had  opportunities  to  -witness.  And  Col.  0.  E.  Good^vyn  in  a  letter 
espressos  this  fact  most  admirably.  His  can  be  taken  as  a  special 
standard,  because  Colonel  Good\vyn  for  over  a  year  was  in  charge  of 
the  largest  camp  of  Colored  Stevedores  in  France. 

^'It  is  with  many  keen  thrusts  of  sorrow,''  said  he,  *Hhat  I  am 
obliged  to  leave  this  camp  and  the  men  who  have  made  up  this 
organization.  The  men  for  whose  uplift  you  are  working  have  not 
only  gained  but  have  truly  earned  a  large  place  in  my  heart,  and 
I  will  always  cherish  a  loving  memory  of  the  men  of  this  wonder- 
ful organization  which  I  have  had  the  h'dn'or  and  privilege  tb 
conimaiid.  ^ ' 


320  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

That  Colonel  Goodwyn  was  also  held  in  high  esteem  by  his 
men,  may  be  judged  from  a  conversation  which  was  overheard  one 
day.  After  the  armistice  a  group  of  the  boys  were  discussing  what 
they  had  in  mind  to  do  first  after  returning  to  America.  One 
ambitious  fellow  said,  *'I'm  going  to  marry  right  away,  and  get 
me  a  fine  little  boy  stevedore ! ' '  Another  remarked  that  * '  Of  course 
his  name  will  be  Abraham  Lincoln."  ''Oh,  no,"  replied  the  first 
speaker.  ''There's  too  many  Abe  Lincolns  in  America  now;  my 
first  boy's  going  to  be  called  'Colonel  Goodwyn.'  " 

Cheerfulness  in  the  Camps 

Very  naturally,  many  amusing  stories  and  jokes,  with  the  war 
and  France  as  a  background,  featured  the  life  of  the  colored  boys 
over  there.  One  heard  many  funny  "bon  mots"  and  puns  and 
clever  stories  attributed  to  the  Negro  soldier,  until  it  seems  that 
they  brought  and  made  most  of  the  humor  connected  with  the  grim, 
frightful  war.  Surely,  in  America,  the  jokes  of  their  experiences 
and  life  in  France,  and  foreign  surroundings,  their  efforts  to  imitate 
or  speak  the  French  language,  will,  I  imagine,  serve  to  increase  the 
record,  which  will  be  all  the  more  laughable,  as  well  as  interesting, 
because  of  the  new  situation  and  circumstances  that  enter  into  the 
stories.  It  is  very  true  that  with  that  native  talent  and  fun-making 
nature  of  his,  the  Negro  soldier  found  many  things  in  France  that 
amused  him,  and  made  possible  for  him  all  sorts  of  jokes  and 
clever  expressions.  Indeed,  the  Negro  soldier  was  quick  to  see 
whatever  was  humorous  over  there;  the  war,  the  army,  the  firing 
line,  even  the  serious  and  dangerous  things,  that  make  others  sad, 
he  made  the  basis  of  his  jokes  and  ofttimes  ridiculed,  so  that  even 
his  dangers  and  his  tasks  seemed  to  have  been  less  difficult.  No 
doubt  these  jokes  and  comic  expressions  will  be  heard  over  again 
and  happily  enjoyed  in  America  when  the  boys  return  home. 

As  to  cheerfulness,  the  Stevedore  Camps  had  their  share  of 
songs,  music,  and  that  gaiety  which  characterizes  a  cheerful  race. 
One  thing  that  most  impressed  those  who  were  willing  to  observe, 
was  that  all  through  those  stressful  days  and  anxious,  when  the 
strain  of  work  and  the  handling  of  cargoes  and  ammunition  for 
the  front  became  really  one  long  grind  for  the  Stevedores,  morning, 
noon  and  night,  one  could  see  them  through  all  sorts  of  weather 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  SUPPLY  321 

and  hours,  swinging  by  companies  into  line,  marching  bravely  and 
merrily  to  the  difficult  tasks,  singing  or  whistling  some  patriotic 
melody  or  popular  song. 

Frequently  the  base  commander  and  other  distinguished  officers 
visited  the  camps  and  were  seen  at  the  public  gatherings  and 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  buildings.  *'I  have  heard  them  repeatedly  emphasize," 
writes  Dr.  Ferguson,  ''how  much  the  Army  at  the  front  depended 
on  the  work  and  loyalty  of  the  Stevedores  at  the  base.  They  also 
spoke  to  them  in  the  highest  terais  about  the  way  in  which  they 
were  performing  their  difficult  tasks,  without  the  show,  ajDplause, 
and  excitement  that  inspire  the  soldier  at  the  front.  They  were 
doing  the  drudgery,  the  dull  routine,  the  monotonous  labo»;  still 
they  were  the  foundation  and  groundwork  upon  which  the  whole 
Army  was  built.    They  also  were  American  soldiers  and  heroes. 

''With  such  patriotic  sentiment  always  encouraging  them,  I 
believe  the  same  acted  as  a  spur  to  keep  the  morale  up  to  the 
highest,  and  the  energy  with  which  they  worked  was  all  the  more 
vital,  because  they  responded  readily  to  the  principles  of  patriotism 
that  urged  them  on,  believing  that  through  their  efforts  all  the  more 
quickly  victory  and  peace  would  come.  Even  after  the  armistice 
was  signed  and  their  thoughts  naturally  turned  homeward  to  their 
families  and  friends,  a  new  appeal  is  being  made  to  them,  that  the 
Army  of  Occupation  now  needs  supplies  and  food,  to  which  they 
are  responding  loyally,  and  the  Stevedores  are  over  there  still  at 
work,  far  into  the  night  and  even  from  the  rising  to  the  setting  of 
the  sun. 

"When  it  is  considered  to  what  extent  with  regard  to  different 
States  and  communities  the  huge  army  of  Stevedores  was  organized, 
and  the  various  types  and  conditions  of  men  represented,  ranging 
from  the  young  man  of  school  training  and  city-bred,  to  those  from 
hamlets  and  small  farms  'way  down  South,  and  illiterate,  it  is 
remarkable  how  they  were  all  brought  together  and  welded  finally 
into  a  fine  industrial  army  that  made  such  a  wonderful  record  of 
work  and  efficiency.  This  credit  belongs  to  the  Army  discipline  and 
training  they  received.  The  traveler  was  often  amazed  to  see  this 
development  of  hundreds  of  young  men  from  crude  farmhands, 
very  raw  material,  indeed,  day  by  day  improving  under  Army 
discipline,  until  in  these  days,  after  their  months  of  training,  they 


322  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

stand  forth,  ereet,  alert,  earnest,  industrious  soldiers;  and  in  them 
is  found  a  type  of  industrious  and  useful  citizens  for  the  future 
America. ' ' 

Lessons  Learned  in  the  War 

They  learned  remarkable  lessons  in  this  experience  of  war 
times,  aside  from  the  broadening  view  of  life  that  travel  and 
foreigTi  contact  give.  These  are  the  lessons  of  self-control,  cleanli- 
ness, promptness,  obedience,  efficiency,  and  the  value  of  time. 
Ajiother  agency  with  the  camp  that  greatly  influenced  the  men  and 
urged  the  development  of  mind,  body,  and  soul  was  the  Y.  M.  0.  A. 
In  each  camp  wherever  the  Stevedores  were  stationed  there  were 
soon  established  very  home-like  and  commodious  ''Y"  buildings, 
all  equipped  with  the  same  regular,  standardized  furnishings  and 
supplies  as  others,  under  the  able  direction  of  colored  secretaries. 
That  the  men  received  additional  help  and  advantage  here  also  is 
well  recognized.  The  programs  were  elaborate  and  interesting, 
consisting  of  lectures  by  eminent  men  and  women,  concerts  by  the 
leading  musicians,  singers,  and  actors  that  went  the  rounds  of  all 
the  camps;  moving  pictures,  athletics,  circulating  libraries,  and 
educational  classes  in  reading,  writing,  mathematics;  besides  reg- 
ular instruction  in  French.  All  these  fine  influences  must  have 
reached  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  Stevedores,  and  scores  of  men 
who  came  to  the  Army  illiterate  were  able,  after  the  training 
received,  to  write  their  names  and  first  letters  home  to  wives, 
sweethearts  and  friends. 

The  service  rendered  by  the  Negroes  of  these  battalions  evoked 
many  expressions  of  admiration  and  praise  from  all  persons  who 
saw  the  Aj-my  in  action  in  France.  It  was  observed  that  the  spirit 
which  animated  the  Americans  engaged  in  the  Service  of  Supply 
division  was  the  same  as  that  of  those  in  the  front-line  trenches. 
The  shiploads  of  products  requiring  usually  four  days  for  unloading 
were  disposed  of  by  these  Negroes  in  half  of  that  time.  In  fact 
they  did  everything  on  a  gigantic  scale  and  did  their  work  quickly. 
The  rapidity  then  with  which  the  American  soldiers  were  dispatched 
to  France  so  as  to  excite  surprise  at  home  and  abroad  was  due 
pdmarily  to  the  unselfish  and  patriotic  service  of  the  thousands  of 
Ne^o  stevedores  who  clearesd  the  piorts  on  arrival  in  Fraiice. 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  SUPPLY  323 

Writing  of  these  wonderful  feats  an  observer  asserted  that 
when  the  greatest  of  American  transports  first  came  over,  it  took 
52  days  to  unload  it  at  Liverpool.  Later  this  period  was  reduced 
to  28  days.  On  the  third  trip  it  was  decided  to  send  this  transport 
to  a  French  port  where  Americans  could  handle  the  freight  in  less 
time.  It  turned  out  that  on  the  first  arrival  10,000  men  and  supplies 
were  unloaded  and  the  ship  coaled  and  sent  back  in  four  days. 
On  the  second  arrival  the  same  task  was  completed  in  three  days; 
the  third  arrival  in  48  hours,  and  the  fourth  arrival  in  44  hours. 
In  each  case,  5,000  tons  of  coal  had  to  be  put  on  this  large  transport 
and  loaded  from  lighters,  as  her  41  feet  of  draft  kept  her  far  out 
in  the  harbor. 

Work  of  the  Stevedores 

Referring  to  the  work  done  by  these  stevedores  in  France, 
Mr.  Ralph  W.  Tyler,  accredited  representative  of  the  Conmiittee  on 
Public  Information,  then  in  France,  said:  ''Figures  just  made 
available  show  that  for  the  month  of  September,  1918,  there  were 
handled  at  the  American  base  ports  in  France  767,648  tons,  or  a 
daily  average  of  25,588  tons,  an  increase  of  nearly  ten  per  cent  over 
August.  When  it  is  considered  that  colored  stevedores  handled  by 
far  the  largest  per  cent  of  this  tonnage,  some  idea  can  be  formed 
of  the  very  important  service  colored  stevedores  are  rendering  the 
Government  here  in  France,  and  how  necessary  they  are  to  the 
success  of  the  Allies.  The  work  of  colored  stevedores  may  be 
menial,  and  is  laborious,  but  it  is  as  essential  as  the  manning  of 
the  guns  at  the  front.  The  fact  is,  that  without  these  stevedores 
first  unloading  and  aiding  in  transporting  the  gims,  munitions,  and 
supplies  to  the  front,  there  would  be  no  manning  of  guns  at  the 
front.  One  who  sees  the  stevedores'  work  notes  with  what  rapidity 
and  cheerfulness  they  work,  and  what  a  very  important  cog  they 
are  in  the  war  machinery.  The  colored  stevedore  has  greater 
endurance  than  the  others." 

At  a  Stevedore  Camp 

In  another  letter  Mr.  Tyler  said:  "I  have  just  returned  from 
a  two  days'  visit  to  a  point  where  there  are  assembled,  and  at 
wofk,  some  twenty-five  thouS"and  service,  or  st-eved'ore  troops.  I 
was  pa:rticularly  impressed  mth  the  aa^'angemelits,  and  wii^  the 


334  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

uniform  cheerfulness  and  splendid  morale  of  the  men.  During  quite 
an  extended  conference,  or  audience,  with  the  Colonel  in  command, 
he  stated  that  he  would  not  exchange  his  men,  if  it  were  a  matter  of 
option,  for  any  command  in  the  Army;  that  he  was  proud  of  his 
men,  and  that  they  not  only  responded  to  discipline  readily,  but  most 
cheerfully.  He  further  stated  that  he  would  like  to  lead  his  men 
into  action,  but  that  the  work  they  were  performing  was  urgently 
necessary  to  facilitate  action  at  the  front,  and  that  his  men  accepted 
their  duties,  as  I  learned  from  the  men  themselves,  knowing  that 
their  work,  although  non-combatant,  was  absolutely  necessary  to  the 
prosecution  of  the  war. 

*  *  The  erroneous  opinion  existing  among  many  of  the  colored  race, 
that  only  colored  men  are  commandeered  for  the  laborious,  or  manual 
work,  would  quickly  be  dispelled,  among  those  who  hold  to  such 
opinion,  were  they  over  here  at  the  front  and  could  observe  the  many 
thousands  of  white  men  in  the  Army  performing  the  same  class  of 
work  performed  by  colored  men.  In  the  assignment  of  duty  over 
here,  I  find  that  men's  racial  identity  is  not  considered;  that  duty  is 
paramount.  Between  the  commanding  officer,  at  the  point  visited, 
and  the  colored  stevedores  there  appears  to  be  a  bond  of  sympathy 
akin  to  that  existing  between  a  most  considerate  employer  and  satis- 
fied and  cooperating  employees.  Not  only  are  our  men,  at  this  point, 
treated  with  marked  consideration,  without  offending  strict  military 
discipline,  but  they  are  wholesomely  and  abundantly  fed,  and  com- 
fortably and  sanitarily  quartered.  There  need  not  be,  back  in  the 
States,  any  concern  whatever  felt  as  to  the  treatment  accorded,  or 
the  provisions  made  for  the  maintenance  of  the  colored  service  bat- 
talions in  France,  so  far  as  I  have  seen.  Most  of  the  men  are  faring 
as  well  as  they  did  back  in  the  States,  and  many  of  them  are  faring 
infinitely  better  than  they  did  when  at  home,  and  the  amusements 
and  recreations  provided  for  them  are  excellent. 

**The  relations  existing  here  between  these  colored  soldiers  and 
the  French  people  is  fine.  Absolutely  nothing  has  transpired  here 
among  these  more  than  25,000  colored  men  gathered  from  every  walk 
of  life,  and  many  of  them  from  the  ghettos,  to  arouse  even  the  sus- 
picion of  fear  in  the  most  timid  of  white  women.  It  was  a  long, 
tedious  ride  to  reach  this  point,  but  what  I  have  learned  at  this  camp 
abundantly  compensates  me  for  the  trip. 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  SUPPLY  325 

''Another  pleasing  thing,  to  me,  about  this  stevedore  camp,  was 
that  the  guardhouse  was,  in  size,  but  a  small  affair,  and  that  its 
inmates  constituted  an  astonisliingly  low  number,  and  such  as  were 
confined  in  it  were  there  for  trivial  offenses — mere  infractions  of 
strict  military  rules  rather  than  crimes. 

The  Colored  Motorcycle  Riders 

"There  is  a  glamour  about  the  combatant  units  of  an  army  in 
war  that  very  frequently  causes  the  non-combatants  who  are  most 
essential  in  war,  to  be  overlooked,"  continued  Mr.  Tyler.  "Among 
the  non-combatants  over  here  who  have  been  overlooked  in  all  reports 
are  the  colored  motorcycle  riders,  who  act  as  couriers  and  trans- 
porters, carrying  messages,  night  and  day,  from  front  to  front ;  from 
headquarters  to  the  front  line  trenches  and  battle  front,  and  back, 
or  who  rush  officers,  almost  with  the  velocity  of  the  wind,  to  distant 
points.  It  is  really  marvelous  how  these  colored  motorcyclists  ride 
pell-mell,  in  the  darkest  nights,  without  headlights,  along  these 
strange,  devious,  forking,  and  merging  roads  of  France,  leaving 
towns,  through  which  they  pass,  behind  in  an  instant.  It  is  mar- 
velous how  these  riders  so  quickly  learned  these  French  country 
roads.  They  race  along,  at  times,  when  the  darkness  is  so  thick  one 
cannot  see  his  hand  before  his  face,  with  only  their  judgment,  which 
never  fails  them,  to  tell  them  the  right  road  to  take,  or  how  near  a 
precipice  they  are  riding.  They  race  along  these  lonely  roads  at 
night,  whose  darkness  is  only  pierced  now  and  then  by  a  bursting 
German  shell  just  ahead  or  behind  them,  or  at  their  side,  at  the  rate 
of  from  65  to  75  miles  per  hour.  Frequently,  as  they  race  along, 
bearing  an  important  message  to  the  front,  German  shells  fall  and  hit 
the  road  so  continuously  as  to  be  incessant,  but  these  daring  colored 
motorcyclists,  never  daunted,  ride  on,  indifferent  to  the  shells,  as  if 
they  were  but  covering  a  peaceful  road  with  which  they  are  perfectly 
familiar  back  in  the  states. 

"I  rode  several  miles  with  one  last  night,  from  one  front  to 
another,  at  a  65-niile-per-hour  clip.  He  was  indifferent  to  the  burst- 
ing of  American  anti-aircraft  shells,  aimed  at  the  Boche  airplane  in 
the  sky  above  us;  he  w^as  oblivious  to  the  thunder  of  the  German 
cannon,  and  their  shrieking  shells  to  our  right;  he  merely  had  his 
mind,  as  he  kept  his  eyes  to  the  front,  on  getting  me  back  to  the  point 


326  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

which  we  had  left  a  few  hours  before,  a  distance  of  five  miles,  in  ten 
minutes.  And  he  made  it  without  slip  or  hit.  When  the  history  of 
this  war  is  written  some  space,  by  right,  must  be  given  to  telling 
of  the  bravery,  daring  and  speed  of  the  colored  motorcycle  riders, 
seventy-odd  of  whom  are  with  the  colored  division  which  I  am  with 
at  present. ' ' 

In  appreciation  of  the  unselfish  service  rendered  by  these  col- 
ored men  at  one  of  these  ports.  General  Pershing  visited  them  and 
paid  them  a  fine  compliment.  He  said:  ''When  this  expedition 
first  started,  the  question  was:  'Do  you  want  any  colored  men 
over  there?'  and  I  said,  'Yes,  of  course,  I  want  colored  men.' 
I  said:  'Aren't  they  American  citizens?  Can't  they  do  as  much 
work  in  the  line  of  fighting  and  as  much  work  as  any  other  American 
citizen?'  "  The  General  referred  to  the  fact  that  he  was  raised  in 
a  town  where  three-fourths  of  the  people  were  colored,  and  that  he 
was  proud  to  say  that  during  the  Spanish-American  War  he  com- 
manded a  colored  troop  which  did  splendid  work  then,  just  as  other 
Negro  troops  are  doing  splendid  work  now.  He  said  on  leaving: 
**I  expect  to  come  back  here  and  organize  a  few  volunteer  units 
and  give  you  guns  and  let  you  go  to  the  front  and  try  your  hand 
at  it." 

One  of  the  largest  camps  in  France,  numbering  nine  thousand 
Stevedores,  frequently  had  distinguished  visitors,  who  brought 
greetings  from  America.  How  happily  the  boys  heard  them,  and 
with  what  enthusiastic  applause  they  were  welcomed!  Especially, 
they  will  remember  Mr.  Ralph  W.  Tyler,  war  correspondent  for  the 
colored  press,  who  brought  greetings  from  the  Secretary  of  War, 
and  their  families  back  home;  also,  Mr.  Julius  Rosenwald,  who 
brought  to  the  boys  greetings  from  the  Governors  of  their  states, 
whom  the  boys  all  applauded  vigorously.  Mr.  Bosenwald  liked  so 
well  what  he  saw  that  he  donated  one  thousand  francs  to  be  spent 
among  the  boys.  One  American  representative  especially  received 
prolonged  applause  and  a  hearty  welcome  from  the  stevedores, 
and  that  was  Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox.  And  this  because  her  words 
were  so  helpful  and  friendly.  Moreover,  this  eminent  poetess  was 
able  to  see  something  of  the  heroic  and  splendid  in  the  Stevedores, 
which  inspired  her  to  sing  this  martial  song: 


THE  NEGRO  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  SUPPLY  327 

The  Stevedores 

We  are  the  Army  Stevedores,  lusty  and  virile  and  strong; 

We  are  given  the  hardest  work  of  the  war,  and  the  hours  are  long; 

We  handle  the  heavy  boxes  and  shovel  the  dirty  coal; 

Willie  the  soldiers  and  sailors  work  in  the  light, 

We  burrow  below  like  a  mole. 

But  somebody  has  to  do  this  work,  or  the  soldiers  could  not  fight; 

And  whatever  work  is  given  a  man,  is  good  if  he  does  it  right. 

We  are  the  Army  Stevedores  and  we  are  volunteers; 

We  did  not  wait  for  the  draft  to  eome,  and  put  aside  our  fears. 

We  flung  them  away  to  the  winds  of  Fate,  at  the  very  first  call  of  our  land. 

And  each  of  us  offered  a  willing  heart,  and  the  strength  of  a  brawny  hand. 

We  are  the  Army  Stevedores,  and  work  as  we  must  and  may, 

The  Cross  of  Honor  will  never  be  ours  to  proudly  wear  away. 

But  the  men  at  the  front  could  not  be  there 

And  the  battles  could  not  be  won. 

If  the  Stevedores  stopped  in  their  dull  routine, 

And  left  their  work  undone. 

Somebody  has  to  do  this  work; 

Be  glad  that  it  isn't  you! 

We  are  the  Army  Stevedores;  give  us  our  due! 

— Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT" 

Provision  for  Technical  Training  of  Draftees — Units  That  Did  Not 
Get  to  France — Vocational  and  Educational  Opportunities 
Opened  to  Them — The  Negro  in  the  Students'  Army  Training 
Corps — In  the  Reserve  Officers^  Training  Corps. 

The  progress  of  the  war  and  the  gathering  up  of  miscellaneous 
men  from  civil  life  to  serv^e  as  defenders  of  the  nation,  developed 
the  fact  that  the  education  of  the  youth  of  the  land  had  been  woe- 
fully neglected,  even  in  the  primary  and  secondary  grades,  but 
particularly  in  the  matter  of  technical  or  vocational  training.  Thou- 
sands upon  thousands  of  those  inducted  into  the  Army  through  the 
operation  of  the  Selective  Draft  Law,  who  were  ready  and  eager  to 
battle  for  the  safety  of  their  country's  freedom,  were  sadly  deficient 
in  practical  knowledge  of  the  simplest  things  essential  to  the  well- 
being  of  a  military  organization.  Their  experience  had  been  con- 
fined largely  to  the  routine  of  civil  life,  and  the  great  majority 
called  to  the  colors  knew  nothing  of  machinery,  the  handling  of 
tools  (as  in  carpentry,  construction  and  repair),  electrical  work, 
woodwork,  operation  and  repair  of  automobiles,  horseshoeing,  or 
the  proper  care  of  animals,  etc.  The  number  actually  illiterate 
was  alarming.  It  was  surprising  to  those  unfamiliar  with  scholastic 
conditions  among  the  people  of  this  country,  that  there  should  be 
so  many  men  unable  even  to  sign  their  names  to  the  Ai*my  payrolls. 

This  deplorable  situation  led  the  military  officials  to  cast  about 
for  a  means  of  raising  the  mental  tone  of  the  Army,  to  enhance  its 
efficiency  by  making  provision  for  technical  training,  and  to  carry 
along  with  such  training  a  system  of  scholastic  improvement,  such 
as  would  enable  the  soldiers  to  read  and  understand  army  orders, 
to  comprehend  the  meaning  and  import  of  sigiials,  to  grasp  the  true 
spirit  of  service  that  had  brought  them  into  the  great  war,  and  to 
fit  them  for  the  largest  measure  of  usefulness  and  to  be  ready  for 

328 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  329 

the  advancement  that  would  naturally  come  to  those  who  per- 
formed their  duty  most  capably.  "WTien  it  was  decided  that  ther« 
should  be  provision  for  a  double  system  of  education  and  training 
for  soldiers,  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War  looked 
about  to  see  if  all  soldiers  were  to  be  included  in  this  highly 
important  program — that  is,  if  the  schedule  had  in  mind  the  par- 
ticular needs  of  colored  soldiers  also.  To  his  regret,  he  found 
nothing  to  indicate  that  colored  soldiers  were  to  be  given  this  train- 
ing. After  several  full  and  free  conferences  with  Dr.  C.  A.  Prosser, 
Director  of  the  Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Training,  and  his 
assistant,  Dr.  W.  I.  Hamilton,  to  whom,  at  first,  was  confided  the 
responsibility  of  developing  a  program  of  vocational  training,  a 
memorandum  was  drawn  up  calling  attention  to  the  number  of 
colored  troops  already  in  the  service  and  the  probable  number  to 
follow.  As  a  result  the  whole  program  was  broadened  to  include 
also  colored  soldiers. 

Schools  Selected  for  Training 

A  Committee  on  Education  and  Special  Training  was  after- 
ward designated  by  the  Secretary  of  W^ar,  and  entrusted  with  the 
execution  of  this  far-reaching  program.  Certain  educational  insti- 
tutions were  set  apart  under  Government  contract  for  the  training 
of  student-soldiers.  Thirteen  of  the  leading  colored  schools  of  the 
land  were  among  the  number  authorized  to  undertake  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  colored  soldiers.  The  schools  selected  and  the  courses 
of  instruction  decided  upon,  together  vnth.  the  number  of  soldiers 
allotted  to  the  various  terms  were  as  follows: 

How.vRD  University,  Washington,  D.  C. — May  15  and  July  15,  1918, 
300  men,  Capt.  Jerome  Lavigne,  C.  0.;  bench  workers,  electricians,  wire- 
less operatoi*s. 

Atlanta  University,  Atlanta,  Georgia. — 120  men,  July  1,  1918;  bench 
workers,  general  carpenters,  army  truck  drivers,  blacksmiths, 

Florida  Agriclxtural  and  ]\Iechanic.vl  College,  Savannah,  Georgia. — 
125  men;  July  1,  1918;  blacksmiths,  carpenters,  electricians,  wheelwrights. 

Georgia  State  Industrial  College,  Savannah,  Georgia. — 200  men, 
July  1,  1918;  army  truck  drivers,  general  carpenters,  bench  workers, 
blacksmiths. 

Hampton  Normal  and  Agricultural  Institute,  Hampton,  Virginia. — 
Capt.  Robert  H.  Nealy,  C.  0.;  June  15,  245  men;  August  15,  1918,  245  men; 


330  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

electricians,  carpenters,  wheelwrights,  machinists,  chauffeurs,  auto  repairers, 
truck  drivers,  master  truck  drivers,  horseshoers,  blacksmiths,  pipefitters. 

Negro  Agricultural  and  Technical  College,  Greensboro,  North 
Carolina. — Capt.  C.  C.  Helmar,  C.  0.;  260  men,  June  15;  280  men,  August 
15,  1918;  chauffeurs,  carpenters,  tractor  operators,  truck  drivers. 

Branch  Normal  School,  Pine  Bluff,  Arkansas. — 120  men,  June  15, 
1918 ;  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  auto  mechanics. 

Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  Tuskegee,  Alabama. — 
Capt.  Edgar  R.  Bonsall,  C.  0.;  380  men,  May  15;  380  men,  July  15;  380 
men,  Sept.  15,  1918;  auto  mechanics,  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  general 
mechanics. 

Western  University,  Quindaro,  Kansas. — 100  men,  June  15,  1918; 
blacksmiths,  carpenters,   concrete  workers,  electricians,  horseshoers. 

Prairie  View  N.  and  I.  College,  Prairie  View,  Texas. — 150  men,  June 
15,  1918;  auto  mechanics,  chauffeurs,  blacksmiths,  carpenters. 

WiLBERFORCE  UNIVERSITY,  Wilbcrforce,  Ohio. — 180  men,  July  15;  180 
men,  August  15,  1918;  machine  shop,  auto  gas  engines,  general  mechanics, 
cobblers,  carpenters,  blacksmiths. 

State  Agricultural  and  IMeohanical  College,  Orangeburg,  South 
Carolina. — 240  men,  July  1,  1918;  auto  mechanics,  truck  drivers,  tractor 
operators,  concrete  workers,  blacksmiths,  bench  woodworking. 

Wendell  Phillips  High  School,  Chicago,  Illinois. — 170  men,  July  1, 
1918;  auto  mechanics,  truck  drivers,  bench  woodworking,  electricity. 

Sumner  High  School,  St.  Louis,  Missouri. — 275  men. 

These  military  units  are  listed  under  the  head  of  **  Those  Who 
Wait,"  although  many  of  them  so  quickly  assimilated  the  voca- 
tional instruction  given  them  that  in  a  few  weeks  they  were  ready 
for  overseas  service,  and  actually  went  over  and  served  in  several 
of  the  great  offensives.  The  preparedness  which  was  theirs,  and 
the  cheerfulness  that  characterized  their  eveiy  acti\dty  were  large 
items  in  preserving  the  morale  of  the  Negro  people  on  this  side 
of  the  ocean. 

Value  of  the  Vocational  Detax5hinents 

The  value  of  this  vocational  training  cannot  be  overestimated. 
The  mere  fact  that  the  Government  should  be  w^illing  to  assume 
the  responsibility  for  the  mental,  physical  and  technical  develop- 
ment, pay  all  the  bills,  and  give  these  men  a  brighter  outlook  for 
the  future,  was  a  revelation  to  the  colored  millions  of  America,  and 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  331 

did  more  to  raise  the  morale  of  the  race  than  could  have  been 
brought  about  by  a  thousand  speeches  or  platitudinous  proclama- 
tions. It  was  a  big,  concrete  thing,  done  in  a  big  way,  and  no  single 
endowment  by  the  Federal  authorities  in  the  war  period  went 
further  to  encourage  the  masses  to  renewed  patriotic  endeavors 
than  did  the  establishment  of  these  vocational  detachments  in  the 
colored  schools  of  the  land.  In  the  first  six  months  more  than  3,000 
young  colored  men  received  the  benefits  of  the  training,  and  plans 
were  laid  for  an  extension  of  the  work  to  include  20,000  additional 
men  had  war  continued  to  the  point  expected  by  the  military 
experts. 

When  the  armistice  was  signed  more  than  10,000  colored  men 
were  on  the  roster  of  these  Vocational  Detachment  units  and  as 
members  of  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps,  this  latter  being 
an  outgrowth  of  the  success  achieved  by  the  Vocational  Detach- 
ments. 

The  "War  Department  recognized  that  there  are  many  branches 
of  army  service  in  which  preliminary  technical  training  is  a  great 
asset.  This  training  must  be  largely  secured  in  intensive,  short, 
practical  courses,  so  that  essential  industrial  production  may  not 
be  impaired.  Much  was  done  at  first  to  meet  this  need  in  voluntary 
classes  organized  by  the  Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Education, 
by  various  divisions  of  the  Army,  and  by  individual  schools. 
Valuable  as  were  the  benefits  thus  secured,  however,  experience 
demonstrated  that  on  a  civilian  basis  the  desired  results  could  not 
be  obtained;  therefore,  it  was  decided  to  conduct  the  training 
under  military  control. 

In  order  to  coordinate  the  training  program  with  voluntary 
enlistments  and  the  operations  of  the  selective  service  regulations, 
there  was  established  in  the  War  Department,  as  already  noted,  the 
Committee  on  Education  and  Special  Training  reporting  to  the 
Chief  of  Staff.  The  functions  of  this  committee  as  stated  in  the 
General  Order  creating  it  were: 

*'To  study  the  needs  of  the  various  branches  of  the  service  for 
skilled  men  and  technicians;  to  determine  how  such  needs  should 
be  met,  whether  by  selective  draft,  special  training  in  educational 
institutions  or  otherwise;  to  secure  the  cooperation  of  the  educa- 
tional institutions  of  the  country  and  to  represent  the  War  Depart- 


332  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

ment  in  its  relations  with  such  institutions;  to  administer  such 
plan  of  special  training  in  colleges  and  schools  as  may  be  adopted." 

The  War  Department  undertook  to  provide  this  intensive  tech- 
nical training  only  for  soldiers  in  the  service  who  were  under  disci- 
pline and  on  pay  and  subsistence  during  the  period  of  their  train- 
ing. For  the  purpose  of  training  them  the  "War  Department  made 
use  of  facilities  now  in  existence,  thus  offering  the  different  educa- 
tional centers  of  the  counti^^  an  opportunity  to  contribute  in  a  very 
important  way  to  the  preparation  of  our  armies  for  service  in 
France. 

Since  the  men  to  be  trained  were  soldiers  under  military  disci- 
pline, the  War  Department  was  obliged  to  impose  certain  general 
stipulations  on  communities  agreeing  to  undertake  this  work.  These 
orders  read: 

**1.  Men  will  be  sent  to  civilian  institutions  for  technical  training  in 
■units  of  from  100  up.  Few  units  wiU  number  less  than  200  or  more 
than  2,000. 

"2.  For  the  maintenance  of  effective  military  discipline  it  is  necessary 
that  men  be  housed  and  fed  in  groups  of  approximately  100-500.  Com- 
munities and  institutions  which  are  willing  to  receive  men  for  training 
should  note  that  proper  facilities  for  housing  and  feeding  must  be  pro\ided. 
In  training  centers  already  established  this  requirement  has  been  met  in 
various  ways;  for  instance,  by  utilizing  a  dormitory  or  a  hotel,  by  the  con- 
version of  a  hall  or  an  armory,  by  the  erection  of  temporary  barracks,  etc. 

"3.  Sufficient  space  suitable  for  militar}'  drill  and  located  at  a  con- 
venient distance  from  the  quarters  must  be  available. 

"4.  Institutions  providing  training  and  arranging  housing  and  feeding 
facilities  will  be  compensated  at  a  reasonable  per  diem  rate  for  each  man, 
which  is  intended  to  cover  actual  costs. 

"5.  Men  will  be  ordered  in  some  cases  to  the  training  centers  directly 
upon  their  induction  into  the  service;  in  this  case  they  will  bring  extra 
clothing.  They  will  be  provided  at  once  with  overalls  and,  as  soon  as  prac- 
ticable after  arrival,  with  service  uniforms  and  other  equipment.  In  other 
cases  the  men  will  come  from  the  recruit  depots,  at  which  they  will  be 
equipped. 

"6.  It  is  expected  that  the  work  involved  in  the  technical  training 
courses  will  occupy  six  to  seven  hours  daily,  the  remaining  time  available 
for  training  being  devoted  to  military  drill. 

"7.  Most  of  the  men  thus  assigned  are  inducted  under  the  selective 
service  s^^stem.     Any  one  subject  to  draft,  not  under  call  from  the  Provost 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  333 

Marshal  General,  but  desiring  to  volunteer,  may  be  inducted  on  application 
to  his  Local  Board,  providing  such  Local  Board  has  been  called  upon  by 
the  Provost  Marshal  General  to  supply  a  share  of  men  and  has  not  already 
filled  the  call,  and  provided  he  has  the  qualifications  named  in  such  a  call. 
Under  special  authority  given  to  recruiting  officers  from  time  to  time  this 
service  may  be  opened  also  to  men  not  of  draft  age  who  can  volunteer  a« 
enlisted  men  in  the  Army." 

Course  of  Instruction 

The  training  required  was  such  as  to  give  the  men  some  prac- 
tical skill  in  the  simple  underlying  operations  of  carpentry,  metal- 
working,  blacksmithing,  auto  mechanics,  and  other  mechanical 
activities  useful  in  the  Araiy. 

Only  fundamental  training  was  possible,  and  training  there- 
fore was  thoroughly  practical  rather  than  theoretical.  Most  of  the 
courses  of  training  were  two  months  in  length.  The  work  required 
included  the  following  courses,  for  which  the  War  Department 
provided  definite  directions  and  outlines: 

1.  AUTO  DRIVING  AND  REPAIR.— Driving  motor  vehicles  of 
various  types,  making  all  general  repairs  to  motor  trucks,  cars,  motorcycles, 
tractors. 

2.  BENCH  WOOD  WORK.— Splicing  frames,  joining,  pattern  mak- 
ing and  fine  wood  work. 

3.  GENERAL  CARPENTRY.— Use  of  the  usual  carpenter's  tools  and 
materials;  practice  in  rapid  rough  work  with  hatchet  and  saw  to  qualify 
the  man  for  building  and  repairing  barracks,  erecting  concrete  forms,  rough 
bridge  work. 

4.  ELECTRICAL  COMMUNICATION.— Construction  and  repair  of 
telephone  and  telegraph  lines;  repair,  adjustment  and  operation  of  tele- 
phone and  telegraph  apparatus;  cable  splicing. 

5.  ELECTRICAL  WORK. — Installing,  operating  and  repair  of  elec- 
trical machines;   inside  wiring  and  power  circuits. 

6.  FORGING  OR  BLACKSMITHING.— Jobbing  blacksmithing; 
motorcycle,  automobile,  truck,  gas  engine  and  wagon  repairing. 

7.  GAS  ENGINE  WORK. — Reconstructing  and  repairing  automobile, 
motorcycle  and  airplane  engines. 

8.  MACHINE  WORK.— General  machine  shop  work  on  lath©,  drill, 
press,  shaper,  planer,  miller,  grinder,  etc. 

9.  SHEET  METAL  WORK.— Coppersmithing  and  tinsmithing;  sol- 
dering, brazing  and  general  repairing. 


334  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  widest  publicity  was  given  to  this  program  as  it  affected 
colored  soldiers,  through  the  colored  papers,  in  addition  to  the 
use  of  the  official  circulaa*s  of  the  War  Department,  and  each  of  the 
schools  under  contract  was  flooded  with  applications,  sent  by  mail 
or  brought  in  person  to  the  institution  by  the  applicant,  to  be  con- 
sidered by  the  Commanding  Officers  of  the  Training  Detachments. 
Applicants  already  in  the  military  service  or  of  draft  age  and  yet 
to  be  inducted,  were  required  to  have  a  grammar  school  education, 
and  were  assigned  to  the  courses  to  which  the  applicant  in  question 
seemed  best  adapted  by  education,  physical  condition  or  experience. 

For  sympathetic  counsel,  practical  suggestions  and  constant 
encouragement  in  getting  the  work  of  these  vocational  schools 
before  the  people  and  bringing  to  the  Negro  the  full  fruits  of  this 
beneficent  program,  the  author  was  indebted  in  the  largest  measure 
to  General  Robert  I.  Rees,  of  the  General  Staff  Corps,  and  Chair- 
man of  the  Committee  on  Education  and  Special  Training;  Major 
Grenville  Clark,  of  the  Adjutant  General's  Department;  Mr. 
William  H.  Lough  and  Dr.  Ralph  Barton  Perry,  executive  secre- 
taries, and  Mr.  C.  R.  Dooley,  educational  director,  of  the  Committee 
on  Education  and  Special  Training  of  the  War  Department.  The 
results  of  the  training  received  by  the  thousands  of  young  colored 
men  in  the  selected  schools,  under  the  control  of  the  Government, 
are  reflected  not  only  in  the  broader  opportunities  afforded  for 
helpful  service  and  advancement  during  the  war,  but  in  the  wider 
area  created  for  the  soldier  after  the  war,  in  the  way  of  a  more 
lucrative  employment  and  a  larger  mental  and  moral  endowment. 

The  Students'  Army  Training  Corps 

The  success  achieved  throughout  the  country  by  the  Vocational 
Detachments  of  the  United  States  Army  in  the  utilization  of  the 
young  manhood  of  the  Republic,  led  naturally  to  a  further  plan 
for  enlisting  the  strength  of  the  student  forces  of  the  land.  The 
regularly  established  camps  and  cantonments  were,  in  many  in- 
stances, far  away  from  the  centers  where  thousands  of  youths 
might  be  found  and  who  were  available  for  the  army  of  the  future, 
for  no  one  could  know  at  that  time  how  long  the  war  might  continue 
and  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  marshal  the  entire  man-power  of  the 
nation  to  be  drawn  upon,  if  the  necessity  therefor  should  arise.    It 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  335 

occurred  to  farseeing  military  authorities  that  the  hundreds  of  school 
plants,  some  of  them  almost  denuded  of  men  by  the  operation  of  the 
draft,  might  be  utilized  to  train  the  still  younger  men  and  boys  who 
might  be  needed  to  defend  the  flag.  The  Government  perceived  the 
wisdom  underlying  this  plan  of  providing  for  future  necessities,  and 
out  of  the  mass  of  suggestions  and  discussions  was  born  the  Students' 
Army  Training  Corps,  to  include  qualified  young  men  between  the 
ages  of  eighteen  and  twenty-one,  not  then  acceptable  under  the 
selective  draft  law. 

The  administration  of  this  new  instrumentality  for  the  national 
defense  was  also  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Committee  on  Education 
and  Special  Training  of  the  War  Department  at  Washington. 
Through  the  prompt  action  of  those  entnisted  with  the  welfare  of 
the  colored  people  of  the  land,  provision  was  made  for  the  participa- 
tion of  colored  young  men  in  this  work,  on  equal  terms  with  others, 
and  units  of  the  Students'  Army  Training  Coips  were  established 
at  colored  schools  which  were  able  to  meet  the  Government's  require- 
ments. 

The  primary  purpose  of  the  Students*  Army  Training  Corps,  as 
described  in  the  military  regulations,  was  to  utilize  the  executive 
and  teaching  personnel  and  the  physical  equipment  of  the  educa- 
tional institutions  to  supplement  the  labors  of  the  regular  camps 
and  cantonments  in  the  training  of  the  new  armies  of  the  nation.  Its 
aim  was  to  train  officer-candidates  and  technical  experts  of  all  kinds 
to  meet  every  need  of  the  service.  In  the  list  of  colleges,  universities, 
professional,  technical  and  trade  schools  of  the  country,  totaling 
about  550,  a  score  or  more  were  conducted  for  the  education  of 
young  colored  men. 

For  administrative  purposes  the  Corps  was  divided  into  two 
sections,  the  Collegiate  or  ''A"  Section,  and  the  Vocational  or  "B" 
Section.  The  units  of  the  ''B"  Section  w^ere  formerly  known  as 
National  Army  Training  Detachments,  and  their  especial  function, 
after  being  incorporated  in  the  *'S.  A.  T.  C."  Fcheme  was  to  continue 
the  program  of  industrial  development  and  to  train  soldiers  for 
service  as  trade  specialists  in  the  Army.  The  colored  schools  carried 
into  this  program  included: 

Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  Alabama;  Hampton 
Institute,    Hampton,    Virginia;    Howard    University,    Washington, 


336  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

D.  C. ;  Atlanta  University,  Atlanta,  Georgia ;  Georgia  State  A.  and  M. 
College,  Savannah,  Georgia;  North  Carolina  A.  and  T.  College, 
Greensboro,  N.  C. ;  South  Carolina  A.  and  M.  College,  Orangeburg, 
S.  C. ;  Prairie  View  Normal  and  Industrial  College,  Prairie  View, 
Texas ;  Lincoln  University,  Chester  County  Pa. ;  West  Virginia  Col- 
legiate Institute,  Institute,  W.  Va. ;  Wilberforce  University,  Zenia, 
Ohio;  Alabama  A.  and  M.  College,  Normal,  Ala.;  Tennessee  A.  and 
M.  College,  Nashville,  Tenn. ;  and  Louisiana  A.  and  M.  College, 
Baton  Eouge,  La. — fourteen  in  all. 

The  ''A"  or  Collegiate  Section,  which  was  inaugurated  October 
1,  1918,  was  open  to  registrants  of  authorized  colleges,  universities 
or  professional  schools  who  were  eligible  for  admission  to  the 
S.  A.  T.  C.  by  voluntary  induction  into  the  military  service.  They 
thus  became  members  of  the  Army  on  active  duty,  receiving  pay  and 
subsistence,  subject  to  military  orders,  and  living  in  barracks  under 
military  discipline  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  any  other  soldier. 
The  housing,  subsistence  and  instruction  of  soldiers  in  both  branches 
of  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps  were  provided  by  the  educa- 
tional institutions  under  contract  with  the  Government  to  furnish  the 
same.  Students  voluntarily  inducted  into  the  service  were  ordinarily 
allowed  to  choose  the  branch  of  the  service  for  which  they  wished  to 
be  prepared,  but  this  freedom  of  choice  was  not  absolute,  being 
subject  to  a  very  large  extent  to  the  particular  qualifications  of  the 
individual  and  upon  the  needs  of  the  service  at  any  specified  time. 
All  students  were  required  to  meet  the  physical  standards  authorized. 

The  status  of  a  member  of  the  S.  A.  T.  C.  was  that  of  a  private; 
the  pay  was  $30  per  month.  Students  were  at  the  beginning  divided 
into  four  groups,  according  to  age,  and  were  given  the  same  course  of 
two  months'  military,  industrial  or  other  training,  followed  by  a 
second  two  months  of  higher  academic  subjects  of  military  value,  if 
the  soldier  was  found  capable  of  greater  advancement.  Members  of 
the  Collegiate  or  *'A"  Section,  who  showed  by  their  rating  in 
academic  and  military  work  that  they  had  unusual  ability  were  given 
opportunities  for  transfer  to  a  Central  Officers'  Training  School; 
transfer  to  a  non-commissioned  officers'  school;  or  assigned  to  the 
institution  where  they  were  enrolled  for  further  intensive  work  in  a 
specified  line,  as,  for  instance,  in  engineering,  chemistry  or  medicine. 

Those  members  of  a  Collegiate  Section  whose  record  was  such 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  337 

as  not  to  justify  the  Government  in  continuing  their  collegiate  train- 
ing were  eligible  for  assignment  to  a  Vocational  Training  Section 
for  technical  training  of  military  value ;  or  transfer  to  a  cantonment 
for  duty  with  troops  as  a  private. 

Men  in  '*B"  unit  of  the  S.  A.  T.  C  were  given  an  equal  oppor- 
tunity with  those  in  the  college  or  "A"  unit,  to  demonstrate  their 
fitness  for  advancement  and  their  qualifications  for  officers  and  non- 
commissioned officers '  schools,  or  for  continuance  at  institutions  for 
more  advanced  study.  The  plan  adopted  provided  that  student- 
soldiers  would  be  transferred  to  the  aiTQy  for  active  service  at  stated 
intervals,  and  their  places  would  be  taken  at  the  school  by  new  con- 
tingents, inducted  for  similar  training. 

The  colored  educational  institutions  embraced  in  the  **A'*  or 
Collegiate  Section  of  the  Students'  Anny  Training  Corps  were: 
Howard  University,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Lincoln  University,  Chester 
county,  Pa.;  Fisk  University,  Meharry  Medical  College,  Nashville, 
Tenn. ;  Atlanta  University  and  Morehouse  College  (combined), 
Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Wiley  University  and  Bishop  College  (combined), 
Marshall,  Texas;  Talladega  College,  Alabama;  Virginia  Union  Uni- 
versity, Richmond,  Va. ;  Wilberforce  University,  Wilberforce,  Ohio. 

An  instruction  camp  for  colored  schools  and  colleges  was  held  at 
Howard  University,  Washington,  D.  C,  August  1  to  September  16, 
1918.  Howard  University,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Atlanta  University, 
Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Lincoln  University,  Chester  county.  Pa. ;  Raleigh.  Uni- 
versity, Raleigh,  N.  C. ;  Shaw  University,  Raleigh,  N.  C. ;  Wilberforce 
University,  Zenia,  Ohio ;  Virginia  Union  University,  Richmond,  Va. ; 
Straight  University,  New  Orleans,  La. ;  Morehouse  College,  Atlanta, 
Ga. ;  Talladega  College,  Talladega,  Ala.;  Bishop  College,  Marshall, 
Texas ;  Benedict  College,  Columbia,  S.  C. ;  Allen  University,  Colum- 
bia, S.  C. ;  New  Orleans  University,  New  Orleans,  La.;  Florida  A. 
&  M.  College  for  Negro  Youth,  Tallahassee,  Fla. ;  Biddle  University, 
Charlotteville,  N.  C. ;  Livingston,  College,  Salisbury,  N.  C. ;  the 
Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  Alabama;  the  Hampton 
Normal  and  Agricultural  Institute,  Hampton,  Va.,  and  Lincoln  Insti- 
tute, Jefferson  City,  Mo.,  were  among  the  schools  which  were  asked 
to  send  a  student  representative  for  each  twenty-five  and  one  faculty 
member  for  each  one  hundred  of  the  male  student  enrollment.  These 
men  were  trained  forty-seven  days  on  temporary  enlistment  aa 


338  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

privates,  during  which  term  they  received  housing,  uniforms,  sub- 
sistence, equipment,  and  instruction  at  the  Govenmient's  expense 
with  the  pay  of  a  private,  $30  per  month  (and  reimbursement  of 
transportation  to  and  from  camp  at  4  cents  per  mile).  The  plan  of 
operation  and  the  advantages  given  these  men  were  identical  ^dth 
those  of  all  other  colleges  of  the  country.  Wilberforce  University, 
alone  of  all  the  schools,  however,  secured  a  rating  for  recognized 
military  training.  A  group  of  officers  was  designated  by  the  War 
Department  to  take  charge  of  the  instruction,  including  Lieutenant 
Eussell  Smith  (afterwards  promoted  to  a  captaincy),  conunanding 
officer. 

Where  the  Color  Line  "Was  Drawn 

As  no  institution,  however  well-intentioned,  is  without  its  flaws 
in  the  administration  of  its  purposes,  the  S.  A.  T.  C.  had  its  ''fly  in 
the  ointment."  The  color  question  came  to  the  fore,  especially  as 
related  to  those  institutions  which  had  not  been  in  the  habit  of 
accepting  colored  students,  or  in  which  but  few  had  previously  been 
registered.  Trouble  on  this  score  was  reported  by  colored  students 
who  attempted  to  secure  entrance  to  the  military  units  at  certain 
colleges  in  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  Nebraska  and  perhaps  other  states. 
A  declaration  was  issued  by  the  "War  Department  officially  dis- 
countenancing all  discriminations  based  on  color.  This  declaration 
as  officially  announced  by  the  War  Department  was  signed  by  Col. 
Robert  I.  Rees,  an  upstanding  American.  He  always  stood  for  jus- 
tice and  fair  play  so  far  as  the  men  of  the  S.  A,  T.  C.  and  the  R.  0. 
T.  C.  units  were  concerned.    His  declaration  read  as  follows : 

' '  No  color  line  will  be  drawn  in  inducting  men  into  the  S.  A.  T.  C. 
Colored  men  eligible  for  induction  will  be  inducted  at  institutions 
which  they  attend  and  will  not  be  required  to  transfer  to  other  insti- 
tutions.'* 

Such  problems  as  arose  in  connection  ^\'ith  attendance  of  colored 
students  at  Northern  institutions  were  left  by  the  War  Department 
to  be  settled  by  the  college  authorities,  the  War  Department  refusing 
to  be  a  party  to  any  program  which  would  introduce  the  color  line 
into  those  schools  where  it  is  not  already  dra^\Ti.  At  the  same  time 
announcement  was  made  that  the  War  Department  did  not  seek 
through  its  program  to  break  down  the  color  line  in  any  institution 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  339 

where  it  was  observed.  The  general  effect  of  this  prompt  decision 
on  the  part  of  the  War  Department  was  gratifying  to  colored  people 
throughout  the  country.  The  controversy  and  its  satisfactory  adjust- 
ment was  described  in  clear  fashion  in  an  interesting  news  item, 
making  note  of  the  circular  letter  sent  out  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
National  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Colored  People.  The 
statement  of  Mr.  John  P.  Shillady,  Secretary  of  the  organization 
referred  to,  touching  the  matter  of  the  rejection  of  colored  student 
applicants  to  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps,  was: 

"Certain  college  authorities,  acting  under  a  misapprehension  of  War 
Department  regulations,  denied  the  privileges  of  the  Students'  Army  Train- 
ing Corps  to  colored  students  of  Ohio  and  Nebraska  colleges.  In  one  case 
this  action  was  taken  upon  instructions  of  the  regional  director  of  a  section 
of  the  Training  and  Instruction  Branch  of  the  War  Department  Committee 
on  Education  and  Special  Training,  and  in  another  case  by  direction  of 
the  War  Department's  District  Inspector.  In  the  Ohio  case  inquiries  were 
addressed  to  the  War  Department  by  the  students  themselves,  by  the 
National  Office  of  the  National  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Colored 
People,  and  by  the  Cleveland  and  Columbus,  Ohio,  branches.  These 
branches  and  the  students  arranged  for  conferences  with  the  college  author- 
ities on  the  matter.  The  following  telegram  on  the  subject,  signed  by 
Emmett  J.  Scott,  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  under  date  of 
September  25,  1918,  is  self-explanatory: 

"  'The  War  Department  has  not  issued  any  instructions  pre- 
venting Negro  students  from  joining  Student  Army  Training  Corps 
at  Ohio  State  University  or  any  other  institution.  Any  student 
mentally  and  physically  qualified  and  accepted  by  the  school  offi- 
cials is  -eligible  for  admittance  into  any  Student  Army  organiza- 
tion. 

'Emmett  J.  Scott, 
'Special  Assistant  to  Secretary  of  War.' 
"It  is  apparent  from  a  reading  of  this  telegram  and  from  the 
statements  of  Mr.  Scott  made  personally  to  the  Secretary  of  the  National 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Colored  People,  while  in  Washington, 
on  September  28,  that  the  War  Department  has  made  no  ruling  requiring 
a  separation  of  colored  and  white  students  in  barracks  or  dormitory 
arrangements  in  the  colleges,  and  that  the  acceptance  of  a  student  by  a 
college  under  the  terms  and  conditions  usual  to  such  colleges  qualifies  the 
student  for  admission  to  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps  provided 
he  is  able  to  qualify. 


340  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

"The  branches  and  the  members  of  the  Association  generally  are  re- 
quested to  put  this  matter  clearly  before  the  colored  students  who  may 
desire  to  enter  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps.  This  will  serve  as  a 
guide  to  appropriate  action  in  case  any  colleges  deny  admission  to  colored 
students  under  a  similar  misapprehension  to  that  alluded  to  above." 

Demobilization  of  the  S.  A.  T.  0. 

Although  the  country  was  keenly  alive  to  the  necessity  for  some 
system  of  general  military  training  for  the  youth  of  the  land  that 
would  serve  as  a  medium  for  insuring  the  national  safety,  when  the 
aiinistice  was  signed  November  11,  1918,  discussion  arose  at  once  as 
to  the  future  of  the  Students'  Anny  Training  Corps.  The  War 
Department  was  at  first  of  the  opinion  that  the  organization  could 
be  maintained  with  profit  to  itself  and  to  the  students  until  the  end 
of  the  fiscal  year  at  least,  while  others  high  in  authority  contended 
that  the  war  emergency  being  over,  the  corps  should  be  demobilized 
at  once.  •  Among  the  forces  that  desired  the  continuance  of  the 
S.  A.  T.  C.  was  the  Merchants'  Association  of  New  York  City,  which 
laid  before  the  Department  an  offer  of  financial  assistance,  if  neces- 
sary, to  maintain  the  organization  along  the  original  lines. 

Major  Ralph  Barton  Perry,  executive  secretary  of  the  Committee 
on  Education  and  Special  Training,  administering  this  branch  of 
instruction  under  the  War  Plans  Division  of  the  General  Staff  of  the 
Army,  replying  to  the  communication  of  the  Merchants'  Association 
urging  the  continuance  of  the  S.  A.  T.  C,  gave  as  follows  the  reasons 
why  the  War  Department  did  not  consider  it  practical  to  carry  on 
the  militaiy  training  units  in  colleges: 

*'It  was  not,  as  had  often  been  assumed,  an  educational  measure, 
but  a  plan  for  creating  a  reservoir  of  officer  material  with  which  to 
supply  the  Officers  Training  Camps  and  the  other  needs  of  the  army 
for  specially  trained  men.  There  were  certain  strong  reasons  for 
continuing  to  June  30,  1919,  but  these  reasons  were  not  military 
reasons,  and  did  not  justify  the  expenditure  of  money  appropriated 
for  specifically  military  purposes.  While  this  is  the  fundamental 
reason  for  the  demobilization  of  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps, 
for  various  reasons  it  would  have  proved  difficult,  if  not  impossible, 
to  continue  it  in  any  case." 

According  to  Major  Perry,  about  25  per  cent,  of  the  institutions 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  341 

were  opposed  to  maintaining  the  units,  once  war  ceased.  He  also 
said  that  many  of  the  members  of  the  corps  immediately  sought  dis- 
charges in  order  to  pursue  civil  studies,  and  these  men  could  not  be 
held  in  service  against  their  inclinations.  **The  War  Department," 
Faid  Major  Perry,  '4s  fully  ^ware  of  the  force  of  the  arguments 
in  favor  of  continuing  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps.  The 
demobilization  will,  in  some  cases,  doubtless  result  in  inconvenience 
to  the  institution.  The  Committee  on  Education  and  Special  Train- 
ing has,  however,  been  authorized  to  make  equitable  financial  adjust- 
ments. It  is  also  recognized  that  in  many  cases  the  individual  stu- 
dents will  suffer  hardships. 

''It  should,  however,  be  clearly  borne  in  mind  that  no  man  was 
inducted  into  the  S.  A.  T.  C.  on  promise  of  an  education  at  Govern- 
ment expense.  He  was  inducted  into  the  army  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  special  additional  training  in  connection  with  his  purely 
military  training,  always  with  a  view  to  the  needs  of  the  service. ' ' 

To  Train  Reserve  Officers  for  the  Army 

On  December  21,  1918,  Secretary  Baker  authorized  the  state- 
ment that,  with  the  demobilization  of  the  Students'  Army  Training 
Corps,  the  colleges  of  the  country  would  turn  their  attention  to  an- 
other phase  of  military  preparedness — that  of  establishing  the 
Reserve  Officers'  Training  Corps.  This  offered  another  opportunity 
for  the  training  of  youth,  colored  men  along  with  others,  for  the 
national  defense,  and  many  of  the  colored  educational  institutions 
which  had  maintained  the  S.  A.  T.  C.  up  to  the  period  of  its  demobili- 
zation, filed  application  for  units  of  the  new  E.  0.  T.  C,  and  also 
asked  that  colored  officers  of  experience  and  capacity  be  installed 
as  instructors  in  military  science  and  tactics. 

R.  0.  T.  C.  Units  and  Their  Military  Instructors 

Below  is  a  complete  list  of  the  schools  selected  up  to  April  1, 
1919,  together  with  a  roster  of  the  officers  designated  as  military 
instructors  therein.  Most  of  the  instruction  at  the  beginning  was  in 
infantry  movements. 

Howard  University,  Washing-ton,  D.  C. — Major  Milton  T.  Dean 
and  First  Lieutenant  Campbell  C.  Johnson. 

Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  Tuskegee,  Ala, — 


342  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Captain  Eussell  Smith,  First  Lieutenant  James  C.  Pinkston  and 
Second  Lieutenant  Harry  J.  Mack. 

Wilberforce  University,  AVilberforce,  Ohio. — First  Lieutenant 
Percival  R.  Piper. 

Negro  A.  and  T.  College,  Greensboro,  N.  C. — Second  Lieutenant 
Horace  G.  Wilder. 

South  Carolina  A.  and  M.  College,  Orangeburg,  S.  C. — First 
Lieutenant  Samuel  Hull. 

Hampton  A.  and  I.  Institute,  Hampton,  Va. — First  Lieutenant 
Leonard  L.  McLeod. 

Virginia  N.  and  I.  Institute,  Petersburg,  Va. — Second  Lieutenant 
Ernest  C.  Johnson. 

Prairie  View  N.  and  I.  College,  Prairie  View,  Texas. — First 
Lieutenant  Walter  A.  Giles. 

Tennessee  Agricultural  and  Industrial  School,  Nashville,  Tenn. — 
First  Lieutenant  Grant  Stuart. 

West  Virginia  Collegiate  Institute,  Institute,  W.  Va. — First 
Lieutenant  John  H.  Purnell. 

Branch  Normal  School,  Pine  Bluff,  Ark. — First  Lieutenant 
Elijah  H.  Goodwin. 

Straight  College,  New  Orleans,  La. — Captain  Charles  C.  Cooper. 

One  important  change  in  the  organization  was  worked  out,  allow- 
ing the  units  of  the  R.  0.  T.  C.  to  specialize  in  training  officer  mate- 
rial for  Field  Artillery,  Engineer,  Coast  Artillery,  Ordnance,  Medi- 
cal, and  Aeronautics  Corps,  instead  of  the  uniform  training  for 
Infantry,  which  was  the  rule  before  the  war.  In  addition  to  the 
collegiate  units,  plans  were  foraiulated  for  the  establishment  of 
junior  units  in  secondary  schools.  The  Committee  on  Education 
and  Special  Training  was  able  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity 
afforded  by  the  war  to  make  available  a  large  amount  of  scientific 
and  technical  material,  which  had  been  developed  by  the  experience 
of  military  leaders  on  both  sides  of  the  ocean,  and  in  all  units  special 
emphasis  is  placed  on  physical  training  and  mass  athletics. 

The  formation  of  these  units  of  the  R.  0.  T.  C.  came  in  response 
to  the  national  demand  for  military  training  for  the  youth  of  the 
land,  to  provide  the  preparedness  necessary  as  a  safeguard  to  pro- 
tect the  general  welfare.  The  sentiment  was  everywhere  heard  that 
^'Even  if  we  have  no  wars,  universal  military  training  will  make  bet- 


"WITH  THOSE  WHO  WAIT"  343 

ter  citizens."  The  discipline  and  courtesies  which  grow  out  of  the 
relations  of  military  men  among  themselves  and  the  lessons  that 
soldiers  learn  in  keeping  themselves  ''fit  to  fight"  are  fine  additions 
to  what  young  men  have  been  able  to  get  in  colleges. 

The  difference  between  the  Students'  Army  Training  Corps  and 
the  Reserve  Officers'  Training  Corps  is  that  the  S.  A.  T.  C.  trained 
the  private ;  the  R.  0.  T.  C.  trained  officers :  the  former  took  a  short 
cut  and  laid  stress  on  military  training ;  the  latter  took  the  long  way 
round  and  laid  stress  on  the  general  education  of  the  individual  and 
emphasized  the  value  of  administrative  or  executive  ability.  One 
taught  the  individual  to  obey  without  question ;  the  other  taught  the 
individual  to  command  judiciously  and  to  get  results  from  the  correct 
application  of  military  science.  The  Reserve  Officers'  Training 
Coi*ps  was  designed  to  give  a  large  number  of  capable  young  men 
(colored  and  white)  such  training  as  would  qualify  them  to  serve 
their  country  as  officers  in  case  of  another  war.  All  found  to  be 
qualified  mentally,  physically  and  temperamentally,  have  been  placed 
on  the  reserve  officers'  list  subject  to  call  in  the  event  of  another  war. 
This  branch  of  the  service  proved  to  be  of  inestimable  value  to  hun- 
dreds of  live  and  ambitious  young  men  of  the  Negro  race. 


CHAPTEE  XXIV 

GERMAN  PROPAGANDA  AMONG  NEGROES 

Insidious  E^Jorfs  to  Create  Dissatisfaction  Among  Colored  Amer- 
icans— Germany's  Treacherous  Promises — How  the  Hun  Tried 
to.  Undermhi-e  the  Loyalty  of  Our  Negro  Citizens — Steps  Taken 
to  Combat  Enemy  Propaganda — Work  of  the  Committee  on 
Public  Information. 

Many  were  the  methods  resorted  to  by  Germany  and  her  allies 
in  their  desperate  efforts  to  win  the  war.  Some  of  them  were  among 
the  most  despicable,  dishonorable,  and  unscrupulous  ever  recorded  in 
the  annals  of  military  history.  By  no  means  did  the  Imperial  Ger- 
man Government  confine  its  war  activities  to  soldiers,  to  battleships, 
or  to  battlefields — those  open,  legitimate  methods  which  honorable 
nations  use,  as  a  last  resort,  to  settle  international  differences.  On 
the  contrary,  Germany  sought  in  many  nefarious,  secret  ways  (as 
was  discovered  and  revealed  by  the  Military  Intelligence  Bureau 
and  the  Department  of  Justice)  to  aid  her  war  program  right  here 
on  American  soil,  through  propaganda  work  among  enemy  civilians, 
and  through  acts  of  open  outlawry  committed  either  directly  by  her 
subjects  or  by  pro-German  sympathizers. 

Even  prior  to  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities,  Germany  diligently 
endeavored  to  promote  anti-war  sentiment  in  America,  designed  to 
produce  an  increased  number  of  pacifists  who  were  opposed  to  the 
declaration  of  war  as  well  as  to  our  country  ^s  war  program.  She 
tried  in  a  number  of  ingenious  ways  to  appeal  to,  and  to  cause  dis- 
satisfaction among  various  racial  groups  which  go  to  make  up  Amer- 
ica's composite  population,  and  to  make  them  lukewarm  in  the  sup- 
port of  their  Govei*nment.  For  instance,  in  her  effort  to  disaffect 
the  Irish- American  group,  she  paraded  before  them  in  certain  news- 
papers, in  the  fonn  of  subsidized  articles,  by  lectures,  public 
speakers,  and  otherwise,  the  Irish  Home  Rule  Question  so  dear  to 
the  Irish  heart,  the  alleged  mistreatment  of  Ireland  by  England,  the 

344 


GERMAN  PROPAGANDA  AMONG  NEGROES        345 

execution  of  Sinn  Feiners  and  of  Sir  Roger  Casement;  by  which 
sort  of  propaganda  work  she  hoped  to  set  Americans  of  Irish  descent 
against  the  idea  of  supporting  this  country  as  an  ally  of  England. 

In  order  to  influence  German-Americans,  she  energetically  fos- 
tered in  this  country  various  kinds  of  propaganda  designed  to  make 
this  racial  group  support  the  ** Fatherland"  more  and  America  less; 
she  urged  German- American  workers  in  munition  plants  and  in 
other  establishments  supplying  war  materials  *'to  be  true  to  the 
Fatherland"  and  to  withdraw  their  labor  from  all  such  industries, 
and  not  only  that,  but  her  agents  aided  and  abetted  German  sympa- 
thizers to  commit  acts  of  sabotage  and  violence  in  order  to  impair 
or  destroy  the  power  of  this  country  to  produce  war  materials  and 
the  implements  of  w^ar.  Her  secret  service  agents  and  paid  hirelings 
strove  to  promote  strikes  and  friction  among  various  groups  of 
American  workingmen,  and  even  encouraged  and  engaged  in  the 
blowing  up  of  bridges,  railroads,  munition  plants,  and  other  indis- 
pensable adjuncts  connected  with  the  successful  prosecution  of  war. 

In  addition  to  her  insidious  plans  to  disaffect  those  of  alien  birth 
or  parentage,  she  also  attempted  propaganda  work  among  native- 
born  Americans  both  white  and  black,  and  it  required  all  the  courage 
and  intelligence  of  the  white  press  and  the  Negro  press,  ably  assisted 
by  the  Committee  on  Public  Information  and  its  countless  number 
of  loyal  public  speakers,  white  and  black,  to  counteract  the  pacifist 
propaganda,  ''Made  in  Germany,"  which  threatened  for  a  time  to 
keep  our  country  from  participating  in  the  world's  great  struggle 
for  freedom  and  democracy. 

Foremost  among  those  who  successfully  combated  this  pro- 
German  propaganda  w^as  Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt,  whose  force- 
ful opposition  to  hyphenated  Americans  and  pacifists  will  ever  stand 
as  a  monument  to  his  100-per-cent  Americanism.  Even  before  our 
country 's  entrance  into  the  arena  of  war  as  an  ally  of  Great  Britain 
and  France,  German  propaganda  made  itself  manifest  in  a  deter- 
mined effort  to  influence  American  voters  in  favor  of  placing  an 
embargo  upon  all  shipments  of  arms,  ammunition,  etc.,  to  belligerent 
nations ;  the  defeat  of  Germany's  plan  in  this  regard  led  up,  indirectly 
if  not  directly,  to  the  Lusitania  disaster,  which  may  be  said  to  have 
brought  the  United  States  into  the  war. 


346  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Propaganda  Among  Negroes 

Active  German  propaganda  of  various  kinds  was  attempted, 
and  was  officially  recognized  to  exist  among  the  colored  people  of 
this  country,  and  it  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  facts  of  the  war 
that  in  spite  of  so  many  insidious  plans  to  bring  about  disaffection 
among  them  by  emphasizing  racial  discriminations,  injustices,  and 
the  like,  in  spite  of  so  many  temptations  to  be  disloyal,  the  entire 
racial  group  of  colored  Americans  remained  absolutely  loyal  and 
actively  patriotic.  Authentic  information  that  the  Germans  tried  to 
incite  the  colored  people  of  the  South  against  the  United  States  was 
brought  out  by  Mr.  A.  Bruce  Bielaski,  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Investi- 
gations, Department  of  Justice,  in  a  Congressional  inquiry  conducted 
by  the  Senate  Committee  which  investigated  German  propaganda 
in  America.  Mr.  Bielaski  said  that  ''The  colored  people  did  not  take 
to  these  stories,  they  were  too  loyal.  Money  spent  among  them  for 
propaganda  was  thrown  away."  During  the  course  of  the  same 
official  hearing,  Captain  George  B.  Lester,  Military  Intelligence 
Officer,  told  the  Senate  Propaganda  Investigating  Committee  that 
German  propaganda  among  Negroes  of  the  South  was  particularly 
active  in  the  Spring  and  Summer  of  1918. 

Stirred  Race  Hatred 

In  the  course  of  his  testimony.  Captain  Lester  said:  ''When 
the  thirty-one  propagandists  who  reached  this  country  (from  Ger- 
many) shortly  after  the  outbreak  of  the  war  organized  the  Fuehr 
publicity  bureau  in  New  York,  they  set  aside  one  'section'  for  dealing 
with  American  race  problems.  They  kept  records  of  every  lynching, 
every  attack  by  a  Negro  upon  a  white  person,  and  every  item  of 
alleged  oppression  of  the  Negro  race  by  the  whites.  The  directing 
head  of  the  propaganda  was  the  German  ambassador  at  Mexico  City. 
In  this  country  Eeiswitz,  former  Consul  at  Chicago,  acted  as  his 
assistant.  The  Negroes  were  told  by  the  propagandists  that  in 
Europe  there  was  no  color  line ;  that  there  the  blacks  were  equal  to 
the  whites;  that  if  Germany  won  the  war  the  rights  of  Negroes 
throughout  the  world  would  equal  those  of  whites.  On  the  military 
side  the  propaganda  took  the  form  of  stories  that  Negro  soldiers 
were  left  on  the  ground  to  die  and  that  they  always  were  put  in  the 
first  line  trenches  in  France  and  used  almost  exclusively  as  'shock 


GERIVtAN  PROPAGANDA  AMONG  NEGROES  347 

troops.'  The  Gorman  agents  passed  the  word  among  Negro  recruits 
that  if  Germany  won  the  war,  a  certain  section  of  the  United  States 
would  be  set  aside  where  the  Negroes  could  rule  themselves." 

As  later  developments  proved,  this  was  an  unsuccessful  attempt 
to  weaken  the  morale  of  Negro  soldiers.  In  his  story  of  the  work  of 
Germans  among  colored  Americans  generally,  Captain  Lester  said 
that  "the  propaganda  became  so  annoying  that  a  conference  of 
leading  Negroes  (referring  to  the  Negro  Editors*  Conference  which 
was  also  attended  by  a  number  of  other  leaders  of  Negro  thought 
and  opinion)  ivas  called  in  June,  1918,  in  Washington,  D.  C,  and  a 
movement  immediately  started  through  the  War  Department  and 
the  Committee  on  Public  Information  to  of  set  it."  "As  a  result," 
he  added,  "the  activity  of  the  German  agents  soon  ceased."  It  was 
the  splendid  team  work  of  Negro  editors  throughout  the  country 
that,  in  large  measure,  helped  to  guard  colored  Americans  against 
such  propaganda  and  to  maintain  a  healthy  morale  among  them. 

Lynchings  During  the  War 

While  German  propaganda  failed  to  affect  the  colored  people 
to  the  extent  of  diverting  them  from  their  loyalty  to  the  United 
States,  yet  the  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  the  morale  of  the  colored 
people  was  kept  more  or  less  disturbed  and  at  a  frazzled  edge  during 
most  of  the  war  by  what  came  to  be  known  as  *' anti-Negro  propa- 
ganda." Much  of  this  could  not  be  traced  to  German  sources,  but 
plainly  had  its  origin  in  age-old  prejudices  which  have  existed  in 
America  against  colored  people  along  certain  well  defined  lines. 
The  number  of  lynchings  of  Negroes  seemed  to  be  on  the  increase 
during  the  course  of  the  war,  and  THESE  LYNCHINGS,  BE  IT 
REMEMBERED,  WERE  NOT  *'Made  in  Germany."  According 
to  the  records  compiled  by  Monroe  N.  Work,  in  charge  of  records 
and  research  of  Tuskegee  Institute,  there  were  58  Negroes  lynched 
in  1918  and  38  lynched  in  1917,  a  total  of  nearly  100  Negroes  lynched 
on  American  soil  while  our  country  was  at  war  and  while  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  loyal  Negro  soldiers  and  millions  of  law-abiding 
colored  Americans  were  supporting  the  Government  with  unfalter- 
ing patriotism. 

This  unfortunate  condition  gave  German  newspapers  abroad 
much  ground  for  effective  criticism,  and  the  follomng  press  reports 


348  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

indicate  the  kind  of  articles  which  frequently  appeared  in  the  Ger- 
man press,  some  of  which  were  reprinted  in  American  newspapers. 
Many  of  these  articles  carried  the  impression  to  the  German  people 
that  Germans  were  being  lynched  in  America. 

The  Munich  Neueste  Nachtrichten  said  that  at  the  Berne  pris- 
oner-of-war conference  the  German  representatives  would  have  the 
opportunity  of  bringing  up  the  question  of  Praeger,  who  was  lynched, 
remarking  that  questions  were  asked  of  the  foreign  office  representa- 
tive at  the  last  session  of  the  Reichstag  on  this  case.  It  called  atten- 
tion to  the  cases  of  Consuls  Bopp  and  Schack  of  San  Francisco, 
which,  it  said,  should  be  made  the  subject  of  an  intei-pellation  in  the 
Eeichstag.  The  paper  said  that  the  GeiTnan  delegates  should  bring 
up  the  whole  question  at  the  conference  and  be  able  to  assure  better 
ti  eatment  for  Germans  in  America. 

The  Kolnische  Volkszeitung  published  a  long  article  headed 
**  JUDGE  LYNCH,  MISTER  MOB."  The  article  asserted  that  for- 
merly American  writers  alleged  that  the  crime  of  lynching  existed 
only  in  the  black  belt,  but  now,  the  paper  declared,  lynch  law  belongs 
to  the  approved  rites  of  ''culture"  in  the  United  States. 

''The  most  horrible  scenes  of  human  bestiality  which  can  be 
recorded,"  it  goes  on,  "are  quite  natural  for  the  Yankee.  *  *  * 
He  no  longer  gets  excited  over  a  lynching,  and  is  only  ashamed  when 
foreigners  call  attention  to  this  'people  culture.'  " 

It  is  always  asserted,  the  paper  proceeded,  that  mobs  and  the 
scum  of  the  people  are  responsible  for  lynchings. 

"Every  American  who  uses  the  word  MOB  in  this  sense,"  it 
adds,  "lies,  because  he  knows  that  all  classes  of  society,  without 
exception,  including  men  and  women,  partake. ' ' 

At  Brookhaven,  Miss.,  the  paper  sets  forth,  a  colored  man  was 
lynched  by  20,000  persons,  and  many  landowners  from  Lincoln  drove 
in  during  the  night  in  order  to  "enjoy  the  crime." 

That  paper  also  referred  to  Praeger,  and  declared  that  after 
energetic  action  by  the  German  government,  Washington  gave  the 
press  the  tip  to  discourage  lynching.  It  scoffed  at  President  Wilson's 
message  regarding  crimes  committed  by  the  German  army,  saying 
"he  lives  in  a  glass  house  and  should  not  throw  stones." 

Articles  of  this  kind  generally  appeared  prior  to  and  to  excuse 
what  the  Germans  call  "reprisals,"  otherwise  Hun  brutality. 


GERMAN  PROPAGANDA  AMONG  NEGROES        349 

A  National  Danger 

No  question  was  frauglit  with  more  danger  to  our  national 
security  in  time  of  war,  and  none  will  be  more  deserving  of  radical 
treatment  in  time  of  peace  than  the  unlawful  practice  of  lynching, 
regardless  of  the  state  or  section  in  which  it  occurs  and  regardless 
of  the  nationality  of  the  victim. 

Some  of  the  lynchings  that  occurred  during  the  war  were  cases 
of  colored  women  (5)  accompanied  by  barbarities  that  cannot  prop- 
erly be  described  in  print  and  wholly  unworthy  of  civilized  groups 
of  people.  There  were  burnings  of  human  beings  at  the  stake, 
modeled  after  medieval  horrors,  and,  in  several  instances  well-known 
colored  citizens  of  wealth,  intelligence,  and  upright  character  were 
tarred  and  feathered  and  nameless  outrages  committed  upon  their 
persons  and  property.  Reports  of  these  outrages  found  their  way 
to  the  colored  people  through  the  Negro  press,  which  stoutly  main- 
tained that  if  America  had  gone  forward  to  fight  battles  for  freedom 
and  democracy  abroad,  it  should  at  least  give  full  protection  to  all 
of  its  citizens  at  home.  Foremost  among  the  white  friends  of  the 
Negro,  who  vigorously  opposed  lynching  and  whose  trenchant  pen 
and  eloquent  voice  have  always  been  enlisted  on  the  side  of  Right 
and  Justice,  was  Mr.  Moorfield  Storey,  the  well  known  lawyer  of 
Boston,  who  delivered  a  most  remarkable  address  on  ^*The  Negro 
Question"  before  the  Wisconsin  Bar  Association,  on  June  27,  1918, 
in  the  course  of  which  he  said : 

*' Negroes  are  denied  the  protection  which  the  law  affords  the 
lives  and  property  of  other  citizens.  If  only  charged  with  crime  or 
even  misdemeanor,  they  are  at  the  mercy  of  the  mob  and  may  be 
killed  and  tortured  with  absolute  impunity.  In  many  States  they 
cannot  obtain  justice  in  the  courts.  At  hotels,  restaurants  and 
theaters  they  are  not  admitted  or  are  given  poor  accommodation. 
In  the  public  parks  and  public  conveyances,  even  in  the  public  offices 
of  the  nation,  they  are  set  apart  from  their  fellow-citizens.  The 
districts  which  they  occupy  in  cities  are  neglected  by  the  authorities, 
and  of  the  money  which  the  community  devotes  to  education,  a  very 
small  fraction  is  allotted  to  them,  so  that  their  schoolhouses  and 
their  teachers  are  grossly  inadequate. 

*^It  is  notorious  that  in  many  cities  they  are  wretchedly  housed 


350  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

and  charged  unreasonable  rents  for  their  abodes.  Labor  unions  will 
not  receive  them  as  members,  and  as  non-union  men  they  find  it  hard 
to  get  employment.  If  in  spite  of  every  obstacle  they  gain  an  educa- 
tion, they  find  door  after  door  closed  to  them  which  would  have 
opened  to  receive  them  gladly  had  their  skins  been  white. 

''The  deliberate  effort  is  made  to  stamp  them  as  inferior,  to 
keep  them  ''hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water,"  to  deny  them 
that  opportunity  which  America  offers  to  every  other  citizen  or 
emigrant  no  matter  how  ignorant  or  how  degraded.  These  are  the 
unquestionable  facts,  and  they  are  not  controverted." 

Mr.  Storey  then  proceeded  to  quote  some  testimony  from  the 
Southern  Press,  as  follows :  "Let  me  give  you  some  testimony  from 
the  South.  Says  The  Atlanta  Constitution:  'We  must  be  fair  to 
the  Negro.  There  is  no  use  in  beating  about  the  bush.  We  have  not 
shown  this  fairness  in  the  past,  nor  are  we  showing  it  today,  either 
in  justice  before  the  laws,  in  facilities  afforded  for  education,  or  in 
other  directions.' 

"Some  years  ago,"  said  Mr.  Storey,  "a  Mississippi  lawyer, 
addressing  the  Bar  Association  of  that  State,  said:  'A  Negro  ac- 
cused of  crime  during  the  days  of  slavery  was  dealt  with  more  justly 
than  he  is  today.  *  *  *  it  is  next  to  an  impossibility  to  convict, 
even  upon  the  strongest  evidence,  any  white  man  of  a  crime  of 
violence  upon  the  person  of  a  Negro,  *  *  *  ^nd  the  converse  is 
equally  true  that  it  is  next  to  an  impossibility  to  acquit  a  Negro  of 
any  crime  or  violence  where  a  white  man  is  concerned,'  and  well  did 
he  (the  Mississippi  lawyer)  add:  'We  cannot,  either  as  individuals, 
as  a  country,  as  a  State,  or  as  a  nation  continue  to  mete  out  one  kind 
of  criminal  justice  to  a  poor  man,  a  friendless  man,  or  a  man  of  a 
different  race,  and  another  kind  of  justice  to  a  rich  man,  an  influ- 
ential man,  or  a  man  of  our  own  race  without  reaping  the  conse- 
quences.' 

"From  the  Vwkshurg  Herald  come  these  words  (continued  Mr. 
Storey) :  'The  Herald  looks  tvith  no  favor  upon  drafting  Southern 
Negroes  at  all,  believing  they  should  be  exempt  in  toto  because  they 
do  not  equally  '  share  in  the  benefits  of  government. '  To  say  that  they 
do  is  to  take  issue  with  the  palpable  truth.  '  Taxation  without  repre- 
sentation,' the  war-cry  of  the  Revolutionary  wrong  against  Great 
Britain,  was  not  half  so  plain  a  wrong  as  requiring  military  service 


GERMAN  PROPAGANDA  AMONG  NEGROES        351 

from  a  class  that  is  denied  suffrage  and  which  lives  under  such  dis- 
criminations of  inferiority  as  the  'Jim  Crow'  law  and  inferior  school 
equipment  and  service.'  " 

It  was  the  attitude  and  just  such  sentiments  as  that  voiced  by 
the  Vichshurg  Herald  as  well  as  by  a  number  of  other  Southern 
white  newspapers,  and  by  certain  Senators  and  Congressmen,  in- 
cluding Senator  Vardaman,  of  Mississippi,  that  led  the  colored  peo- 
ple of  the  United  States  to  feel  for  a  time  that  it  was  not  desired  that 
they  should  have  any  participation  in  the  world-wide  struggle  for 
''Freedom  and  Democracy." 

The  prevalence  of  lynching  NegToes  in  America  had  become  so 
noticeable  that  not  only  the  German  press,  but  the  newspapers  and 
diplomatic  representatives  of  other  nations  as  well,  have  from  time 
to  time  commented  upon  the  practice  as  a  sad  reflection  upon  our 
boasted  civilization,  our  high  ideals,  and  our  ability  to  preserve  and 
enforce  law  and  order.  Pregnant  with  grave  danger  in  time  of 
peace,  the  lynching  evil  constituted  an  even  greater  menace  in  time 
of  war,  and  when  the  epidemic  began  to  spread  and  to  include  white 
victims  as  well  as  black  victims,  citizens  of  this  country  as  well  as 
citizens  of  foreign  countries,  the  President  of  the  United  States  saw 
fit  to  issue  from  the  T\niite  House  a  strong  public  statement  denounc- 
ing lynching  and  mob  violence,  and  later,  in  New  York  City,  on 
May  5th  and  6th,  1919,  a  National  Conference  was  held  for  the  pur- 
pose of  (1)  promoting  propaganda  against  lynching  in  every  State 
of  the  Union;  (2)  urging  the  passage  of  Federal  laws  against  lynch- 
ing, and  (3)  bringing  about  the  formation  of  white  and  Negro  com- 
mittees throughout  the  South  to  agitate  against  mob  murders  and 
the  like. 

Propaganda  Among  Negroes  in  New  York  City 

How  the  Harlem  colony  of  Negroes  in  New  York  City  was  stirred 
up  or,  in  a  measure,  influenced  by  German  propaganda,  may  be  gath- 
ered from  a  letter  written  to  Mr.  George  Creel,  Chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Public  Information,  by  a  well-known  New  York  citi- 
zen, Mr.  Trumbull  White,  whose  wideawake  patriotism  and  deep 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  Negro  people  are  numbered  among  his 
many  commendable  virtues.    His  letter  to  Mr.  Creel  follows:  , 


352  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

INVESTORS'  PUBLIC  SERVICE 

(Incorporated) 

149  Broadway,  New  York. 

March  15,  1918. 
Mr.  George  Creel, 

Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Information, 
"Washington,  D.  C. 
Dear  George: 

This  is  a  matter  which  seems  to  me  very  important  and  immediate. 

The  big  Negro  colony  in  Harlem  is  badly  infected  with  a  series  of 
rumors  arousing  great  distress  and  disquiet.  I  happen  to  know  about  it 
because  of  very  intelligent  colored  servants  at  our  house  who  have  relatives 
in  the  Expeditionary  Forces  in  France. 

The  rumors  are  of  various  kinds.  One  is  that  the  Negro  regiments  are 
being  terribly  abused  by  their  white  officers.  Another  is  that  the  Negro 
regiments  are  being  discriminated  against  in  the  distribution  of  troops 
where  the  danger  and  suffering  will  be  the  greatest.  Another  is  that  the 
Germans  have  vowed  that  they  will  torture  all  Negroes  who  may  be  cap- 
tured, in  order  to  prove  that  this  is  a  Avhite  man's  war  and  that  no  Africans 
are  wanted  in  Europe.  Another  is  that  already  more  than  200  Negro 
soldiers  with  eyes  gouged  out  and  arms  cut  off,  after  being  captured  by 
Germans  and  then  turned  loose  by  them  to  wander  back  to  the  American 
lines,  have  been  sent  home  to  this  country  and  are  now  in  the  Columbia 
Base  Hospital,  No.  1,  up  in  The  Bronx. 

These  rumors  are  spreading  like  wildfire  in  the  Negro  colony  through 
churches,  Negro  papers,  clubs  and  in  general  conversation.  The  colony  is 
seething.  I  do  not  know  whether  German  propaganda  started  the  rumors 
or  whether  some  even  less  responsible  source  is  the  cause.  It  is  clear,  how- 
ever, that  serious  harm  can  result  and  indeed  is  now  resulting. 

I  have  two  recommendations.  One  is  that  a  permit  be  arranged  for 
one  Negro  preacher,  one  Negro  doctor,  and  one  Negro  woman  of  intelligence 
from  that  colony  to  be  admitted  to  a  complete  inspection  of  the  Base  Hos- 
pital,  in  order  that  they  may  report  back  to  their  own  people  the  falsity 
of  the  stories. 

The  other  is  that  some  lecturer,  preferably  Irvin  Cobb,  if  he  is  in  this 
country,  be  sent  up  to  that  colony  to  lecture  at  one  of  their  big  churches, 
specifically  on  the  subject  of  what  he  has  seen  of  the  Negro  troops  in 
France,  the  work  they  are  doing,  and  the  conditions  surrounding  them. 
Cobb  has  the  southern  affection  for  the  Negro  and  could  do  the  thing  right. 
Failing  him,  can  you  get  a  returned  Negro  minister,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  worker, 
or  wounded  or  invalided  Negro  private  of  intelligence  to  taclde  that  Job? 


GERMAN  PROPAGANDA  AMONG  NEGROES       353 

I  will  help  arrange  it  through  the  Negro  preachers  and  editors  of  the  colony. 
I  know  that  the  matter  should  be  expedited.    Please  do  not  think  this 
matter  a  light  one.  As  ever  yours, 

(Signed)     Trumbull   White. 

The  following  press  dispatch  further  indicates  the  kind  of  Ger- 
man propaganda  which  sought  to  influence  the  colored  people  in 
New  York  and  elsewhere ; 

New  York,  April  11,  1918. — After  an  alleged  threat  to  kill  an  aged 
colored  woman  in  Harlem;  Max  Freudenheim  was  arrested  yesterday  by 
Agent  Davidson  of  the  Department  of  Justice.  He  was  sent  to  Newark 
jail  to  await  internment  proceedings. 

Charles  F.  DeWoody,  Federal  Investigating  Chief  here,  left  for  Wash- 
ington last  night.  He  will  lay  before  Attorney  General  Gregory  today  an 
amazing  story  of  German  propaganda  among  Negroes,  revealed  by  Freuden- 
heim's  arrest. 

]\Ir.  DeWoody  believes  that  behind  Freudenheim 's  activities  for  sev- 
eral months  in  Harlem  lies  a  Berlin  plan  like  the  "Committee  for  the  East," 
which  had  for  its  object  the  alienation  of  all  the  Jews  in  the  world  from 
the  allies. 

It  is  known  that  the  trail  has  led  to  several  States.  It  was  less  than  a 
year  ago  that  the  same  sort  of  propaganda  which  had  been  made  rife 
around  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fifth  street  and  Lenox  avenue  caused 
almost  a  panic  among  the  Negroes  of  the  South.  Thousands  of  them  left 
their  homes  and  fled  to  Northern  States  at  word  of  an  uprising  in  favor  of 
Germany  which  it  was  said  would  start  in  South  America  and  Mexica  and 
sweep  through  this  country. 

Freudenheim,  who  is  married  and  has  three  children,  has  been  in  this 
country  for  eighteen  years.  He  says  he  is  an  Austrian,  but  the  Federal 
officials  say  he  was  born  in  Germany. 

Posing  as  an  insurance  solicitor,  the  man  has  been  working  in  Harlem 
exclusively  among  Negroes.  The  Federal  authorities  say  he  would  meet 
men  and  women  and  when  the  talk  touched  on  the  war,  would  declare: 

"Germany  is  sure  to  win  this  war  and  it  is  a  good  thing  for  you 
colored  people  that  she  will.  Germany  is  the  greatest  friend  the  colored 
man  ever  had.  All  her  colonies  in  East  Africa  were  started  to  better  the 
conditions  of  the  black  man.  When  she  wins  the  war  her  intention  is  to 
start  a  colony  exclusively  for  Negroes  in  one  of  the  Southern  States.  This 
will  be  virtually  a  Black  Republic.  The  colored  men  will  choose  their  own 
rulers. 

"In  this  city  the  Negroes  will  get  the  recognition  the  United  States 


354  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

has  denied  them  so  far.    They  will  be  made  the  social  equals  of  white  men.'* 
An  elderly  wpman  whose  mother  was  a  slave  freed  by  Lincoln's  Eman- 
cipation Proclamation  reported  Freudenheim 's  activities  to  Superintendent 
DeWoody.     Men  were  sent  to  shadow  the  man. 

He  was  followed  and  his  conversations  were  listened  to.  He  discovered 
this,  and  within  hearing  of  a  Department  of  Justice  agent  he  shouted  to 
this  woman  whom  he  suspected  of  betraying  him:  "I'll  see  that  you  are 
killed  long  before  this  war  is  over.  Germany  has  many  friends  in  New- 
York  and  they  will  strike." 

As  a  part  of  the  activities  of  German  propagandists  who  were 
seeking  to  incite  the  Negro  people  of  the  United  States  to  be  disloyal 
to  their  country  and  to  their  flag,  they  constantly  hinted  that  the 
Kaiser's  love  for  the  Negro  was  so  great  that  if  ever  Germany  should 
be  triumphant  and  should  win  the  war,  he  would  dominate  affairs  in 
America  and  would  parcel  out  one  or  more  States  of  the  Union  where 
the  Negro  would  be  given  real  freedom  and  the  full  right  of  self- 
government.  The  utter  fallacy  of  such  false  promises  was  clearly 
brought  out  by  Harrison  Rhodes  (of  the  Vigilantes),  the  celebrated 
newspaper  and  magazine  writer  of  New  York  City,  who  wrote  an 
informing  article  which  was  printed  in  many  of  the  leading  news- 
papers throughout  this  country. 

In  order  to  weaken  the  morale  among  colored  American  soldiers 
in  France,  German  airships  dropped  among  them  all  sorts  of  litera- 
ture, of  which  a  typical  example  was  given  in  Chapter  XI. 

Thus  it  was,  **with  fightings  within  and  foes  without,**  the 
Negro  soldiers  and  civilians  of  America  stood  firm  against  every 
temptation  to  divert  them  from  their  primary  duty  of  helping  to 
win  the  war.  What  more  remarkable  and  commendable  record  could 
be  made,  or  has  ever  been  made  by  any  class  of  citizens  than  was 
made  by  Negro  Americans  who  remained  steadfastly  loyal  to  the 
Stars  and  Stripes  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  they  had  been,  and 
were  being  subjected  to  unjust  and  embarrassing  conditions  and 
discriminations  which  even  the  enemy  government  noticed,  ridiculed, 
and  condemned!  It  is  a  record  which  should,  and  doubtless  will 
vouchsafe  to  this  racial  group  not  only  the  eternal  respect  and  grati- 
tude of  America  but  radical  reforms  and  practical  rewards  befitting 
their  unfaltering  patriotism. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
HOW  COLORED  CIVILIANS  HELPED  TO  WIN 

Their  Co-operation  in  All  the  Liberty  Loan  Drives — The  Negro 
and  the  Red  Cross — In  the  United  War  Work  Campaign — How 
the  Negroes  Bought  War  Savings  Stamps — Special  Contribu- 
tions and  Work  of  Colored  Citizens — The  "Committee  of  One 
Hundred'^  and  Its  Valuable  Work. 

Not  halting  at  the  cheerful  giving  of  their  moM-power  through 
volunteer  enlistment  and  under  the  operation  of  the  selective  draft, 
the  12,000,000  American  Negroes  contributed  with  equal  cheerful- 
ness and  promptness  and  liberality  to  the  call  of  the  Nation  for 
their  money-poiver.  The  total  amount  of  money  brought  by 
Negroes  to  the  country's  relief  through  the  sale  of  Liberty  Bonds 
of  the  first,  second,  third,  fourth  and  fifth  issues,  has  not  been 
carefully  compiled,  and  may  never  be  definitely  known,  because  of 
the  diffuse  method  by  which  the  collections  were  made;  but  it  is 
safe  to  say  that  the  figures  will  run  into  many  millions,  represent- 
ing untold  sacrifices  and  a  measure  of  patriotism  unexcelled  by 
any  similar  number  of  citizens  of  the  American  Republic. 

To  extend  this  good  work  the  War  Department  and  the  Com- 
mittee on  Public  Information,  charged  with  preserving  the  morale 
of  the  great  body  of  American  citizens,  and  especially  of  groups 
known  to  have  what  they  term  ''special  grievances,"  decided  that 
a  vigorous  campaign  of  education  was  necessary  to  instruct  the 
Negi'o  on  the  war  aims  of  the  Government,  to  secure  at  the  hands 
of  the  race  the  full  measure  of  co-operation  which  it  was  capable 
of  giving.  Early  in  May,  1918,  therefore,  a  patriotic  campaign  was 
determined  upon,  and  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  author, 
the  Committee  on  Public  Information  organized  a  **  Committee  of 
One  Hundred,"  made  up  of  strong,  well-poised  and  thoroughly 
trained  men,  representing  practically  every  organization  of  Negroes 
in  the  land,  and  having  undisputed  influence  with  all  classes  and 

355 


356  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

conditions  of  the  Negro  race  throughout  the  land.  Bishops  and 
ministers  of  all  denominations,  editors  of  every  kind  of  publica- 
tion, heads  of  every  known  fraternal  organization,  heads  of  educa- 
tional institutions,  prominent  factors  in  all  of  the  professions, 
industries  and  business  agencies  formed  a  part  of  this  unique 
body  of  missionaries  and  messengers. 

Zones  of  activity  were  worked  out  and  men  of  varying  qualifica- 
tions were  given  assignments  where  they  could  do  the  most  ef- 
fective work  for  the  cause  at  stake  and  to  seiT'e  the  United  States 
Government  in  its  hour  of  national  emergency  and  need.  These 
men,  without  exception,  took  hold  of  the  work  with  a  will,  and 
their  intensive  campaign  of  education,  driving  home  the  war  aims 
of  the  Government  in  a  plain  and  straightforward  fashion,  had  a 
powerful  influence  in  inspiring  a  livelier  patriotism  throughout 
the  race  and  encouraging  them  to  engage  whole-heartedly  in  the 
countless  activities  designed  to  help  America  to  win  the  war. 
Specially  equipped  by  nature  and  by  experience  for  dealing  with 
collective  humanity,  the  Committee  of  One  Hundred  performed  its 
duty  well,  and  their  labors  were  made  more  potent  for  good  by 
the  close  relationship  they  were  able  to  establish  with  the  State 
Councils  of  Defense  in  the  North,  East,  South  and  West,  from 
which  they  derived  much  valuable  data  which  enabled  them  to 
counteract  the  particular  disadvantage  to  patriotic  endeavor  in 
each  of  the  communities  they  were  called  upon  to  visit  and 
evangelize. 

The  Fourth  Loan  Campaign 

At  the  opening  of  each  specific  campaign  inaugurated  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  the  flotation  of  the  big  loans,  running 
into  billions — a  denomination  which  had  heretofore  held  for  the 
Negro,  as  well  as  for  the  white  people,  a  very  vague  meaning — 
some  well-known  member  of  the  race  invariably  launched  the 
** drive"  with  a  formal  address,  outlining  the  necessity  for  the 
money  asked  for  and  pointing  out  to  the  Negro  the  significance  of 
a  victory  over  the  Teutonic  allies  in  its  relation  to  his  future, 
as  an  integral  factor  in  the  American  body  politic. 

The  Special  Assistant  Secretary  of  War  was  asked  to  launch 
the  Fourth  Liberty  Loan  Campaign  among  the  colorca  citizens  of 


HOW  COLORED  CIVILIANS  HELPED  TO  WIX  357 

the  District  of  Columbia,  and  spoke  at  Howard  Theatre,  Washing- 
ton, Saturday  evening,  October  29,  1918,  as  follows: 

"This  is  as  the  President  says,  the  people's  war.  It  is  not  a  white 
man's  war.  It  is  not  a  black  man's  war.  It  is  a  war  of  all  the  people 
under  the  Stars  and  Stripes  for  the  preservation  of  human  liberty  through- 
out the  world.  Civilization  is  in  peril,  and  the  natural  rights  of  mankind 
are  menaced  for  all  time  by  the  unholy  aggressions  of  the  Imperial 
German  Government.  The  triumph  of  autocracy  means  the  destruction 
of  the  Temple  of  Freedom  which  our  fathers  helped  in  1776  to  erect,  and 
which  their  sons  have  sacrificed  blood  and  treasure  ever  smce  to  perpetu- 
ate. The  failure  of  democracy  in  this  mighty  conflict  will  entail  disaster 
upon  humanity  throughout  generations  beyond  number. 

"The  American  Negro  is  beginning  to  realize  that  if  the  American 
white  man  is  enslaved  by  reason  of  this  Republic's  inability  to  rout  the 
Hun  in  the  present  struggle,  the  ultimate  result  Avill  be  his  own  re-enslave- 
ment and  the  loss  of  all  that  he  has  gained  since  the  Emancipation 
Proclamation.  His  fate  is  indissolubly  bound  up  with  the  fate  of  the 
Republic,  and  he  must  join  with  it,  loyally,  whole-heartedly  and  to  the 
finish,  in  every  movement  that  will  add  strength  to  the  American  arms 
in  the  death-grapple  with  Germany.  This  common,  purpose  must  be 
contended  for  by  a  common  brotherhood. 

"Already,  the  Negro  has  responded  promptly  and  cheerfully  to 
the  call  for  his  man-power,  and  three  times  since  the  declaration  of  war 
against  the  Imperial  German  Goverament  he  has  answered  generously, 
readily  and  without  stint  to  the  call  for  his  money-power. 

Now  comes  a  fourth  call  for  financial  aid  and  it  is  not  doubted  that 
the  12,000,000  free  colored  Americans,  who  wish  to  remain  free,  will 
again  respond  with  the  same  or  greater  measure  of  liberality  and  en- 
thusiasm that  has  characterized  them  when  the  previous  demands  were 
made. 

"Appropriately,  indeed — in  view  of  the  onward  march  of  General 
Pershing's  Invincible  Crusaders  on  France's  western  front,  the  Fourth 
Liberty  Loan  is  styled  "The  Fighting  Loan."  Black  men  are  among 
these  Crusaders.  We  who  must  remain  at  home  are  in  duty  bound  to 
lend  the  limit  of  our  aid  to  those  who  have  gone  abroad  to  bare  their 
breasts  to  shot  and  shell  in  defense  of  our  flag  and  the  sacred  ideals 
for  which  it  stands.  We  cannot  do  this  in  a  more  effective  way  than  to 
offer  our  dollars  to  sustain  the  Government — tlie  only  Government 
we  know — and  its  fightmg  men  while  they  are  braving  death,  to  insure 
freedom   and   justice   to    all   mankind.     Even   as   they   arc   making   their 


358  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

bayonet  fight  in  protection  of  the  jewel  of  liberty,  we  can  make  our 
DOLLARS  fight  to  gird  up  their  loins  for  stronger  efforts  in  trench  and 
on  field. 

"We  can  all  rest  assured  that  the  response  of  the  colored  millious 
to  the  fourth  call  for  financial  aid  will  be  in  keeping  with  our  public- 
spirited  and  intensely  patriotic  rallies  of  the  past.  The  success  of  the 
Fourth  Liberty  Loan  should  overtop  all  of  its  predecessors  in  the  volume 
of  subscriptions  accredited  to  the  Negro  race  everywhere,  and  this 
should  be  the  absorbing  mission  of  colored  ministei^,  editors,  teachers, 
merchants,  lawyers,  doctors  and  speakers  and  workers  day  by  day  and 
night  by  night  until  that  objective  is  gained.  'He  gives  twice  who  gives 
quickly.'    Let  us  buy  bonds — and  then  buy  more  h&yid^! 

"Every  dollar  loaned,  every  sacrifice  made,  every  useful  serA^ce  per- 
formed will  give  to  ourselves  the  rich  consciousness  of  duty  well  done 
and  wiU  tend  to  win  for  the  colored  American  everywhere  the  fullest 
measure  of  American  opportunity." 

This  address  was  sent  out  by  Mr.  Frank  R.  Wilson,  Director  of 
Publicity  for  the  United  States  Treasury  Department,  to  all 
Directors  of  Publicity,  as  an  appeal  to  be  addressed  to  the  colored 
people  of  the  United  States. 

Secretary  W.  G.  McAdoo,  of  the  United  States  Treasury,  made 
public  acknowledgment  of  the  whole-souled  cooperation  of  the 
colored  people  throughout  the  country  in  connection  with  the 
Liberty  Loan  ** drives." 

War  Savings  Stamps  Purchased  by  Negroes 

Although  it  has  not  been  possible  to  keep  any  accurate  record  of 
the  amount  of  War  Savings  Stamps  purchased  by  colored  people 
throughout  the  country,  the  scattering  reports  and  personal  observa- 
tions of  individuals  everywhere  indicate  that  the  total  is  very  large. 
The  stamps  are  purchased  through  so  many  and  such  widely-sep- 
arated agencies  that  no  accurate  compilation  by  race  or  creedal 
groups  can  be  attempted  with  any  hope  of  success. 

A  typical  instance  of  the  aggressive  work  done  by  the  War 
Stamps  committees  of  the  colored  people  is  found  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  where  during  a  drive  of  eight  weeks  among  the  children 
of  the  public  schools,  a  sale  averaging  $800  per  week  was  reported — 
this  period  covering  the  months  of  March  and  April,  1918.  About 
the  same  time,  the  Washington  Citizens'  Committee  on  W.  S.  S., 


HOW  COLORED  CIVILIANS  HELPED  TO  WLN  359 

headed  by  Dr.  W.  A.  Warfield  and  Dr.  D.  E.  Wiseman,  collected 
$52,000  through  their  own  plan  of  campaign,  in  addition  to  the  im- 
mense sums  subscribed  through  the  government  departments  and 
commercial  houses  where  colored  people  were  largely  employed.  It 
cannot  be  doubted  that  the  Washington  example  was  repeated  many 
times  over  in  the  many  communities  all  over  the  land  where  colored 
people  are  found  in  appreciable  numbers. 

Subscribers  to  the  "Victory"  Loan 

The  "Victory"  issue  of  Liberty  bonds  found  colored  Americans 
ready  to  help  the  nation  finish  the  job  of  winning  the  war,  to  help 
furnish  funds  to  bring  the  boys  back  home,  and  to  pay  the  cost  con- 
nected with  the  establishment  of  freedom  and  democracy  for  the 
world. 

Throughout  the  entire  country  colored  organizations  and  colored 
leaders  set  in  motion  forces  which  brought  from  the  colored  people 
a  response  which  again  served  to  indicate  the  willingness  of  the 
Negro  people  to  help  bring  the  war  to  a  close  with  the  last  of  the 
** drives"  for  money  to  complete  the  financing  of  the  cost  of  the  war. 

Mr.  John  W.  Lewis,  president  of  the  Industrial  Savings  Bank, 
Washington,  estimates  that  the  colored  people  of  the  District  of 
Columbia  purchased  $2,200,000  worth  of  the  First,  Second,  Third 
and  Fourth  issues  of  Liberty  bonds.  He  arrived  at  this  total  by 
checking  up  as  far  as  was  possible  the  amounts  knoAvn  to  have  been 
subscribed  by  colored  men  and  women  through  the  banks,  the  Fed- 
eral departments,  and  business  houses.  The  Fifth  or  "Victory 
Loan"  was  taken  quite  largely  by  Negroes  in  the  Government  serv- 
ice, and  by  persons  in  private  employment  as  well.  For  the  Fifth 
Liberty  Loan  the  total  subscribed  for  through  his  Industrial  Savings 
Bank  amounted  to  something  more  than  $30,000,  the  investors  being 
exclusively  colored. 

Help  for  the  American  Red  Cross 

Notwithstanding  certain  lack  of  information  at  the  outset  rela- 
tive to  the  attitude  of  the  authorities  responsible  for  the  management 
of  the  American  Red  Cross  Society,  the  masses  of  the  Negro  people 
early  came  to  realize  the  vast  benefits  accruing  to  them  through  the 
universal  operations  of  this  great  agent  of  mercy  and  humanity, 


360  >        SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

and  in  every  community  where  the  colored  people  constituted  any 
large  per  cent  of  the  population,  they  rallied  to  the  standard  of  the 
Eed  Cross.  They  gave  freely  of  their  means,  invariably  at  a  large 
personal  sacrifice,  and  strove  earnestly,  early  and  late  through  exist- 
ing organizations  or  to  perfect  additional  organizations  for  the  fur- 
therance of  this  movement. 

In  the  *' drive"  of  the  American  Red  Cross  for  a  relief  fund 
of  $100,000,000  in  1918,  the  colored  citizens  of  the  country  contrib- 
uted their  proportionate  share.  In  the  churches,  schools,  theaters, 
and  on  the  streets,  colored  speakers  eloquently  pointed  out  the  duty 
of  the  race  to  give  liberally  to  the  fund  and  women  and  children 
daily  took  up  collections  in  all  kinds  of  public  places,  and  with  grati- 
fying results. 

Negroes  in  Councils  of  Defense 

The  State  Councils  Section  of  the  Council  of  National  Defense 
early  recognized  the  importance  of  having  the  colored  people  organ- 
ize under  Councils  of  Defense  as  was  true  of  other  citizens  of  the 
republic.  It  was  with  this  thought  in  mind  that  Mr.  Arthur  H. 
Fleming,  Chief  of  the  State  Council  Section,  addressed  the  letter 
following  to  the  Southern  State  Councils  of  Defense  with  refer- 
ence to  this  matter,  since  the  great  mass  of  the  Negro  population 
is  to  be  found  in  the  Southern  section  of  our  country : 

COUNCIL  OF  NATIONAL  DEFENSE 

WASHINGTON 

State  Council  Section  February  23,  1918. 

Subject:     Organization  of  tlie  Negroes. 

To  the  Several  Southern  State  Councils  of  Defense: 

The  Negro  population  can  render  valuable  assistance  in  the  present  crisis. 
Their  support  of  the  Government  depends  largely  on  their  clear  understand- 
ing of  the  events  which  involved  the  United  States  in  the  war,  and  the 
purposes  and  principles  which  it  is  upholding.  To  this  end  we  call  to  your 
attention  a  plan  for  the  organization  of  Negroes  based  upon  the  most  success- 
ful work  for  reaching  them  already  accomplished  by  State  Councils  of 
Defense  and  State  Divisions  of  the  Woman's  Committee  in  the  South.  We 
ask  your  opinion  of  this  plan  as  to  its  wisdom  both  in  general  and  in  the 
light  of  the  local  conditions  in  your  own  State. 


HOW  COLORED  CIVILIANS  HELPED  TO»WIN  361 

We  hope  that  this  matter  will  receive  your  thoughtful  consideration 
and  that  you  will  advise  us  promptly  as  to  your  views. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Arthur  II.  Fleming, 

Chief  of  Section, 
The  result  of  the  plan  refeiTed  to  was  the  successful  organiza- 
tion of  Negroes  under  the  State  Councils  of  Defense. 

The  Negro  Press 

An  outstanding  force  that  helped  to  win  the  war  was  the  Negro 
press  of  the  country.  Aside  from  the  effective  work  done  by  this 
aggressive  element  of  power  through  the  conference  of  Editors  at 
Washington,  which  is  referred  to  elsewhere,  the  press  was  an  asset 
of  incalculable  value  in  pushing  the  war  work  among  colored  people 
by  the  regular  publication  of  the  bulletins  of  infonnation  the  Special 
Assistant  caused  to  be  sent  out  from  the  War  Department  week 
after  week,  beginning  shortly  after  the  assumption  of  his  duties. 
His  mailing  list  embraced  more  than  two  hundred  Negro  journals 
and  magazines,  having  a  large  circulation  in  practically  every  State 
in  the  Union,  and  reaching  every  class  of  the  Negro  millions.  North, 
East,  South  and  West,  besides  the  Speakers'  "Committee  of  One 
Hundred"  and  many  newspaper  correspondents,  special  writers, 
heads  of  schools  and  colleges  and  men  of  influence  and  standing  in 
the  strategic  centers  of  the  nation. 

This  service  proved  to  be  of  the  greatest  i3ossible  assistance  to 
those  charged  with  the  conduct  of  the  war,  as  it  w^on  and  held  the 
confidence  of  the  people,  maintaining  their  morale  and  stimulating 
their  patriotism  at  the  crucial  hour,  when  the  nation  needed  the  loyal 
and  earnest  cooperation  of  every  element  of  its  citizenship  to  assure 
victory  to  its  cause.  Our  editors  were  conservative  on  all  current 
questions,  at  no  sacrifice  of  courage  and  absolute  frankness  in  the 
upholding  of  principles.  The  author  has  always  held  to  the  belief 
that  the  only  way  to  gain  the  united  and  cordial  support  of  the  people 
is  to  take  them  entirely  into  one's  confidence  and  to  throw  upon  the 
screen  of  action  the  full  glare  of  publicity  touching  every  plan,  policy 
or  achievement,  withliolding  nothing  that  might  lead  to  a  suspicion 
that  behind  the  veil  of  secrecy  there  might  lurk  something  that  could 
not  stand  the  light  oF  day. 

The  superb  and  generous  support  given  to  the  war  aims  of  the 


362  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Government  by  the  colored  press  was  one  of  the  most  gratifying 
features  of  the  trying  conflict,  and  unstinted  praise  should  be  given 
the  colored  editors  and  publishers  for  their  timely  services  and  count- 
less sacrifices,  all  cheerfully  contributed  in  behalf  of  the  nation's 
cause. 

Helping  to  Save  Food 

The  Food  Administration,  of  which  Mr.  Herbert  Hoover  was 
Director,  recognizing  the  importance  of  having  the  support  of  the 
large  colored  civilian  population,  gave  attention  to  organizing  them. 
Some  work  had  been  done  among  the  Negroes  through  one  of  the 
divisions  of  the  Educational  Department  of  the  Food  Administra- 
tion, and  during  the  carrying  out  of  the  preliminary  features  of  this 
program,  A.  U.  Craig,  a  teacher  of  the  Paul  Laurence  Dunbar  High 
School,  Washington,  D.  C,  was  for  awhile  in  charge  of  the  Negro 
Press  Section  of  the  Educational  Division.  About  September  30, 
1918,  he  gave  up  his  work  as  director  of  that  section,  which  was 
discontinued. 

A  colored  Field  Worker,  Ernest  T.  Attwell,  who  for  fifteen  years 
or  more  had  served  as  Business  Agent  of  the  Tuskegee  Normal  and 
Industrial  Institute,  Alabama,  was  made  organizer,  first  for  the 
State  of  Alabama,  and  afterwards  for  the  Southern  States.  In 
September,  1918,  his  activities  were  enlarged  and  he  was  brought 
to  Washington  where  from  September,  1918,  to  January  1,  1919, 
he  served  as  director  of  the  activities  of  the  colored  people  from 
the  headquarters  of  the  Food  Administration  organization. 

Mr.  Hoover's  Appeal  to  the  Negro 

The  campaign  of  the  Food  Administration  among  the  colored 
people  was  opened  by  a  strong  appeal  made  by  Director  Herbert 
Hoover,  who  circulated  an  open  letter  to  the  12,000,000  Negroes  of 
the  United  States,  asking  for  their  cooperation  as  a  unit  everywhere 
to  help  in  general  food  conservation.  The  appeal  indicated  a  deep 
appreciation  of  the  potential  value  of  cooperation  on  the  part  of 
this  racial  group,  of  which  over  2,000,000  were  engaged  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  and,  therefore,  exerted  a  tremendous  influence  in 
solving  the  problem  of  raising  food  crops.  Thousands  of  the  race 
were  also  engaged  in  the  domestic  occupations,  buying  and  dispens- 
ing provisions  for  the  use  of  many  families,  serving  as  cooks,  stew- 


HOW  COLORED  CIVILIANS  HELPED  TO  WIN 


363 


ards,  etc.,  for  hotels,  clubs,  institutions  and  restaurants  of  every 
conceivable  size  and  grade.  This  kind  of  service  placed  them  largely 
in  control  of  the  food  consumption  in  the  homes,  not  only  of  their 
own  people,  but  of  other  races  as  well.  The  program  of  Mr.  Hoover 
contemplated  the  thorough  organization  of  this  important  group  by, 
first,  naming  a  national  director,  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Attwell,  and 


fat  jfrpetinm 

An  Appeal  to  the  Negroes  of 
THE  United  States 

OUR  Nation  is  engaged  in  a  war  for  ite  very  exist- 
ence. To  win  this  war  we  must  save  food,  grow 
great  crops  of  foodstuffs  and  substitute  other  foods 
for  those  most  easily  shipped  to  our  associates  in 
th'swarand  our  own  soldiers  in  France,  thousands  of 
whom  are  men  of  your  own  race.  The  Food  Adminis- 
tration realizes  that  the"  Negro  people  of  this  Nation 
can  be  of  the  utmost  help  in  food  conservation  and 
food  production.  Every  Negro  man,  woman,  and 
child  can  render  a  definite  service  by  responding  to 
the  appeal  and  instructions  of  the  Food  Administra- 
tion and  its  representatives.  The  Negroes  have  shown 
themselves  loyal  and  responsive  in  every  national  cri- 
sis. Their  greatest  opportunity  of  the  present  day, 
to  exercise  this  loyalty,  is  to  help  save  and  grow 
food.  I  am  confident  that  they  will  respond  to  the 
suggestions  of  the  Food  Administration  and  thus 
prove  again  their  patriotism  for  the  winning  of  this 

war. 

Herbert  Hoover 


then  the  appointment  of  Negro  State  Directors,  county  deputies, 
local  food  committees,  and  like  agencies,  taking  in  eveiy  class  of 
helpers,  with  a  view  of  mobilizing  all  forces  for  the  purpose  of  stimu- 
lating propaganda  work  along  the  line  of  increased  food  production 
and  the  conservation  of  the  supplies  in  hand.  Mr.  Hoover's  appeal 
is  reproduced  in  facsimile  above. 


364  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

One  year  of  food  conservation  found  a  colored  organization  in 
each  of  the  following  named  States,  with  Negro  directors  as  indi- 
cated :  Alabama,  J.  H.  Phillips ;  Arkansas,  Milton  W.  Guy ;  Florida, 
Nathan  B.  Young;  Georgia,  J.  P.  Davis;  Illinois,  Alexander  L.  Jack- 
son; Indiana,  F.  B.  Ransom;  Iowa,  Herbert  R.  Wright;  Kentucky, 
Phil  H.  Brown;  Louisiana,  J.  Madison  Vance;  Maryland,  C.  C.  Fitz- 
gerald; North  Carolina,  James  B.  Dudley;  Oklahoma,  T.  H.  AVise- 
man;  South  Carolina,  R.  W.  AVestberry;  Missouri,  J.  B.  Coleman; 
Tennessee,  William  J.  Hale;  Texas,  E.  J.  Howard;  West  Virginia, 
C.  E.  Mitchell;  New  Y^ork,  E.  P.  Roberts. 

The  publicity  system  adopted  by  the  Colored  Section  served 
to  arouse  the  masses  to  the  necessity  for  food  conserv^ation  and 
production,  to  supply  home  needs  and  to  replace  the  enormous 
amount  of  foodstuffs  lost  at  sea  on  the  way  to  the  allied  govern- 
ments. Besides  numerous  news  releases  to  the  colored  press  a 
series  of  striking  pamphlets  were  issued,  notable  among  them 
being  one  bearing  the  admonition,  ''Don't  Cut  the  Rope!"  Illus- 
trated lectures,  moving  pictures  slides  in  the  theaters,  public  cooking 
demonstrations,  etc.,  formed  a  part  of  the  publicity  campaign  so 
well  carried  out  by  Director  AttweU. 

The  signing  of  the  armistice  did  not  cause  the  immediate 
discontinuance  of  the  Food  Administration,  and  the  organization 
of  food  clubs  went  on  as  before.  The  Director  of  the  Negro  Sec- 
tion saw  to  it  that  every  Negro  home  was  reached  with  the  propa- 
ganda of  "keeping  on  in  the  good  work."  During  ''Conservation 
Week  for  World  Relief,"  the  first  week  in  December,  1918,  Mr. 
Attwell  addressed  large  meetings  in  Indiana,  Ohio  and  Kentucky, 
at  which  he  pointed  out  the  necessity  for  continued  conservation 
of  food,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  contracts  for  the  current  year 
called  for  not  less  than  twenty  million  tons  of  food  products  for 
European  countries.  In  all  respects  the  results  flowing  out  of 
the  acti^dties  of  the  Negro  Section  of  the  National  Food  Adminis- 
tration amply  justified  its  creation  and  the  unstinted  praise  which 
Director  Hoover  and  other  governmental  agents  so  cheerfully 
bestowed  upon  it. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

NEGRO  LABOR  IN  WAR  TIME 

Organisation  for  War  Work — The  Division  of  Negro  Economics — 
Pioneer  Work  of  Dr.  George  E.  Haynes — Negro  Representation 
in  Council — Seeking  to  Improve  Race  Relatiotis — Good  Work 
hy  Negroes  in  the  Shipyards — Attitude  of  Organized  Labor — 
The  Opportunities  of  the  War. 

Because  of  unsettled  conditions  among  the  Negro  people 
migrating  hither  and  thither  during  the  World  War,  and  still 
more  disturbed  conditions  obtaining  among  them  after  the  inter- 
vention of  the  United  States  in  the  great  struggle,  it  was  deemed 
necessary  to  make  a  scientific  study  of  Negro  labor  and  establish 
an  organization  for  its  direction.  After  considering  the  available 
material,  the  Secretary  of  Labor  decided,  in  June,  1918,  to  call 
as  one  of  his  assistants  to  take  charge  of  this  work.  Dr.  George 
E.  Haynes,  founder  of  the  Urban  League  and  Professor  of  Social 
Sciences  at  Fisk  University.  Dr.  Haynes 's  work  was  that  of  a 
director  of  the  Division  of  Negro  Economics,  around  which  the 
organization  to  carry  out  these  purposes  would  be  organized  and 
from  which  it  would  receive  its  direction. 

As  no  special  effort  had  hitherto  been  made  in  this  field,  Dr. 
Haynes  came  to  his  task  largely  as  a  pioneer.  His  first  effort 
was  to  arouse  interest  in  his  cause  through  personal  interviews 
and  conferences  with  public-spirited  citizens  of  both  races,  North 
and  South.  He,  therefore,  approached  school  officials,  State  Coun- 
cils of  National  Defense,  Chambers  of  Commerce,  the  United  States 
Employment  Service,  social  welfare  organizations,  and  educational 
societies. 

Interest  was  soon  manifested  far  and  wide.  The  proposed 
work  of  the  Department  of  Labor  with  reference  to  the  Negroes 
was    given   careful   consideration    at    a   meeting   of   the   Southern 

365 


366  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Sociological  Congress  held  at  Gulfport,  Mississippi,  July  12,  1918. 
Soon  there  followed  a  State  conference  of  representative  white 
and  Negro  citizens  at  Jacksonville,  Florida,  called  by  Governor 
Sydney  J.  Catts,  who  presided  at  a  number  of  the  sessions.  On 
August  5,  1918,  a  conference  was  called  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  by 
the  Department  of  Negro  Economics  with  the  cooperation  of  the 
Federal  Director  of  the  United  States  Employment  Service  and 
Governor  James  M.  Cox. 

In  the  meantime  conferences  of  more  satisfactory  results 
were  being  held.  The  first  of  these  was  that  called  by  Governor 
Bickett  of  North  Carolina,  on  June  19,  1918.  At  this  meeting  the 
Governor  appointed  a  temporary  committee,  which  drafted  a 
constitution  providing  for  a  State  Negro  Workers'  Advisory  Com- 
mittee and  for  the  organization  of  local,  county,  and  city  com- 
mittees. This  plan  of  organization,  with  slight  modifications  and 
adjustments  for  other  States,  served  as  a  model  for  the  develop- 
ment of  voluntary  field  organizations  for  the  Southern  States  and 
six   Northern   States. 

An  important  conference  was  then  held  in  Kentucky  on 
August  6,  1918.  There  w^ere  both  white  and  colored  representa- 
tives in  attendance.  This  conference  was  unique  in  that  the  plan 
of  organization  adopted  was  that  of  a  united  war  work  com- 
mittee, with  a  special  committee  of  white  citizens  appointed  by 
the  State  Council  of  Defense  as  cooperating  members.  This  war 
work  committee  included  representatives  from  the  Department 
of  Agriculture,  the  United  States  Food  Administration,  the  Eed 
Cross,  the  Council  of  Defense,  and  the  Department  of  Labor. 
Governor  A.  0.  Stanley  of  Kentucky  attended  the  morning  session 
and  made  an  enthusiastic  address  to  the  delegates.  Very  soon 
thereafter  the  influence  of  the  State  conferences  so  proved  their 
effectiveness  and  their  usefulness  as  a  means  of  forwarding  the 
State  movement  and  creating  good  feeling  and  a  favorable  senti- 
ment that  other  conferences  followed  almost  as  a  matter  of  course. 
The  most  important  of  these  were  held  in  Georgia,  Missouri,  Illi- 
nois, Michigan,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  Jersey,  and  steps  were 
taken  for  conferences  or  central  organization  of  the  work  either 
in  New  York  or  South  Carolina. 


NEGRO  LABOR  IN  WAR  TIME  367 

Improving  Race  Relations 
The  Division  of  Negro  Economics  also  called  upon  the  In- 
formation and  Education  Service  to  carry  out  the  departmental 
plan  for  publicity  and  educational  campaigns  to  improve  race 
relations  of  workers  and  to  increase  the  morale  and  efficiency  of 
Negro  workers.  The  Division  also  assisted  the  Bureau  of  Indus- 
trial Housing  and  Transportation  in  carrying  out  its  purposes. 
It  welcomed  also  the  cooperation  of  the  Public  Health  Serv-ice  in 
its  educational  campaign  among  Negro  workers,  and  maintained  a 
similar  cooperative  relationship  with  the  War  Department  through 
the  office  of  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

Good  Work  in  the  Shipyards 

It  has  often  been  reported  that  the  Division  of  Negro  Eco- 
nomics withheld  from  rather  than  conferred  upon  the  Negro  the 
benefits  resulting  from  the  scarcity  of  labor  during  the  World 
War.  For  example,  Negroes  were  employed  in  large  numbers  in 
the  shipyards,  then  undertaking  to  furnish  the  fleets  adequate 
to  the  task  of  transporting  American  soldiers  to  France.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  war  the  Negroes  as  illustrated  by  the  unusual 
record  of  Charles  Knight,  at  Sparrow's  Point,  Maryland,  exhibited 
the  highest  efficiency  as  riveters  in  the  shipyards.  But  their 
increase  in  efficiency  did  not  lead  to  an  increase  in  the  number 
employed  in  the  various  shipyards.  The  same  condition  of  affairs, 
for  instance,  obtained  in  the  employment  of  Negroes  at  Hog 
Island.  After  they  had  manifested  the  same  evidences  of  efficiency, 
they  suffered  from  most  invidious  discriminations  while  endeavor- 
ing to  contribute  their  part  to  the  winning  of  the  war.  These  unto- 
ward conditions  tended  to  continue,  and  while  the  number  of 
Negroes  employed  by  the  United  States  Government  increased, 
the  Government  did  little  to  facilitate  their  entering  the  higher 
pursuits  of  labor. 

It  is  unfair,  however,  to  charge  to  the  account  of  Dr.  Haynes, 
the  Director  of  the  Division  of  Negro  Economics,  the  shortcomings 
of  the  Department  of  Labor  or  of  the  United  States  Government. 
It  is  decidedly  unjust  and  ludicrous  that  in  the  midst  of  all  of  these 
injustices  to  the  Negro  laborer  there  was  no  effort  on  the  part 
of  the  Department   to   do   anything  to   relieve   the   situation.     A 


368  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

public  official  is  not  always  in  a  position  every  time  to  divulge 
exactly  what  his  attitude  in  a  certain  situation  may  be,  or  whether 
or  not  he  has  taken  any  steps  leading  to  definite  action  in  matters 
coming  before  him  for  consideration.  It  may  safely  be  assumed 
that  Dr.  Haynes,  at  all  times  and  in  every  way  possible,  did  what 
he  could  to  secure  to  the  Negro  laborer  the  recognition  and  the 
remuneration  belonging  to  every  man,  and  in  some  of  these  cases 
he  succeeded.  That  he  failed  in  materially  changing  the  attitude 
of  the  Department  of  Labor  or  of  the  country  toward  the  Negro, 
should  not  excite  surprise.  If  reformers  have  had,  according  to 
history,  to  labor  for  years  to  effect  a  change  in  public  opinion  it 
is  ludicrous  to  expect  that  one  colored  man  could,  by  holding  office 
two  years  in  a  Department  of  the  United  States  Government  solve 
the  economic  problems   of  the  race. 

Attitude  of  Organized  Labor 

During  these  same  years  other  forces  were  at  work  to  assist 
in  the  solution  of  the  same  problems.  Organized  labor  had  become 
somewhat  excited  and  finally  concluded  that  because  of  a  scarcity 
of  labor  it  would  soon  need  the  support  of  the  Negro.  During 
these,  their  trying  hours,  therefore,  leading  Negroes  of  the  country 
were  approached  with  a  view  to  obtaining  their  support  toward  the 
end  of  organizing  all  Negro  wage-earners. 

This  proposal  did  not  generally  appeal  to  the  Negroes  through- 
out the  United  States.  Their  attitude  was  rather,  ''Beware  of  the 
Greeks  bearing  gifts."  Negroes  had  for  so  many  years  been 
barred  by  the  trades  unions  and  had  suffered  so  much  at  their 
hands  that  they  saw  in  this  change  of  attitude  only  some  ad- 
vantage which  the  trades  unions  hoped  to  obtain  thereby.  Why 
was  it  that  no  effort  had  ever  been  put  forth  by  white  unions  in 
all  these  years  when  the  Negro  was  forced  to  work  for  starvation 
wages?  Why  is  it  that  Negro  laborers  have  been  driven  away  and 
in  some  cases,  as  in  East  St.  Louis,  exterminated  by  the  agents 
of  the  trades  unions — and  could  now  be  received  with  open  arms? 
''Believing  that  the  need  of  Negro  labor  was  absolute  and  im- 
perative in  unionized  territory  and  that  efforts  to  exclude  the 
Negro  from  employment  would  be  futile,"  said  these  Negroes, 
"great  solicitude  was  then  expressed  for  the  Negro,  at  the  very 


NEGRO  LABOR  IN  WAR  TIME  369 

time  that  he  was  so  well  treated  and  so  well  paid  and  his  pros- 
pects for  even  better  treatment  so  much  brighter."  Some  Negroes, 
therefore,  advised  that  nothing  could  be  hoped  for  but  base  be- 
trayal, and  that  it  would  be  a  blunder  to  surrender  their  inde- 
pendence to  accept  work  when  they  could  get  it,  and  on  terms 
suitable  to  their  own  peculiar  needs.  They  openly  declared  that 
trades  unions  were  planning,  not  for  the  Negroes  but  for  the 
whites,  and  Negro  leaders  were  cautioned  not  to  be  induced  thereby 
and  advised  the  people  not  to  accept  these  ** gifts  of  the  Greeks," 
who  intended  thereby  merely  to  control  the  Negroes  for  their  own 
good,  having  seen  that  they  could  no  longer  keep  them  down. 

These  leaders,  however,  did  not  oppose  the  organization  of 
the  laborers  of  their  race  in  separate  units  primarily  concerned 
with  their  own  welfare,  but  maintaining  their  independence  of  the 
white  unions.  They  were  urged  to  unite  among  themselves,  but 
not  to  connect  with  any  movement  which  convenienced,  encouraged, 
or  incited  lawlessness,  or  that  sought  to  prevent  men  who  desired 
to  work  from  working  because  they  did  not  wear  the  badge  of  an 
organization.  Complying  with  such  suggestions  a  number  of 
Negroes'  organizations  were  formed.  Chief  among  these  was  that 
of  the  Associated  Colored  Employees  of  America,  which  aimed 
to  bring  about  a  systematic  distribution  of  laborers. 

The  Opportunities  of  the  War 

The  majority  of  the  Negroes  of  this  country,  however,  were 
not  of  this  opinion.  They  felt  that  the  time  had  come  for  the  two 
races  to  unite  and  this  was  its  greatest  opportunity.  As  a  step  in 
this  direction  the  American  Federation  of  Labor  at  its  meeting 
in  Buffalo  in  1917  passed  a  resolution  to  this  effect.  On  the  12th 
of  February  in  1918,  therefore,  the  Council  of  the  American 
Federation  of  Labor  met  according  to  appointment  a  number  of 
representative  Negroes  who  were  invited  to  discuss  with  that 
body  plans  for  carrying  out  these  resolutions.  Among  the  persons 
invited  were  Dr.  R.  R.  Moton,  Principal  of  Tuskegee;  Mr.  Emmett 
J.  Scott,  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War;  Mr.  George 
W.  Harris,  Editor  of  the  New  York  News;  Mr.  A.  H.  Grimke, 
President  of  the  Washington  Branch,  National  Association  for 
the    Advancement    of    Colored    People;    Mr.    E.    K.    Jones,    Ex- 


370  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

ecutive  Secretary  of  the  League  on  Urban  Conditions  Among 
Negroes;  Mr.  John  Shillady,  Secretary  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion for  the  Advancement  of  Colored  People,  and  Mr.  Fred  R. 
Moore,  Editor  of  the  New  York  Age. 

These  gentlemen,  representing  the  colored  people,  set  forth 
as  a  vital  war  measure  the  necessity  for  the  removal  of  the 
barriers  preventing  Negroes  from  entering  the  higher  pursuits  of 
labor.  They  asked  that  the  American  Federation  of  Labor  organ- 
ize the  Negroes  in  the  various  trades  to  include  skilled  as  well 
as  unskilled  workmen.  Northern  as  well  as  Southern;  Government 
as  well  as  civilian  employees;  women  as  Avell  as  men  workers. 
They  wanted  Negro  labor  directed  by  the  American  Federation 
of  Labor  in  the  same  way  as  white  labor,  when  workmen  are 
returning  to  work  after  a  successful  strike,  when  shops  are  declared 
open  or  closed,  and  when  union  workers  apply  for  jobs. 

When  the  American  Federation  of  Labor  held  its  meeting  in 
Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey,  in  June,  1919,  it  voted  with  only  one  dis- 
senting vote,  and  that  the  Eailway  Postal  Clerks '  Union,  to  give  full 
membership  rights  to  Negro  wage-earners.  The  discussion  of  the 
question,  and  there  were  some  seven  hundred  delegates  in  the  con- 
vention, was  very  general,  broad  and  fair,  with  few  exceptions. 
For  some  time  past  Negroes  have  enjoyed  membership  privileges  in 
the  Federation,  but  in  a  restricted  sense  only.  It  now  remains  for 
them  to  make  their  standing  in  the  American  Federation  what  it 
should  be.  Several  causes  contributed  toward  this  decision.  The 
World  War  taught  the  American  Federation  and  all  others  that  Ne- 
groes were  prepared,  by  the  industrial  and  technical  teaching  and  in- 
struction they  have  been  subjected  to  for  the  past  twenty-five  years, 
to  do  the  highly  necessary  work  required  by  the  Government  and  the 
essential  industry  corporations;  while  the  migration  movement  indi- 
cated that  there  was  plenty  of  labor  to  be  had  for  the  asking. 

The  Case  of  Mrs.  Douglass 

As  soon  as  the  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War  en- 
tered upon  his  duties  in  the  War  Department  he  found  that  there  was 
need  of  building  up  a  healthy  morale  among  the  colored  people. 
Aside  from  what  seemed  to  be  a  regular  epidemic  of  racial  disturb- 
ances culminating  in  riots,  lynching,  mob  violence,  and  the  like,  he 
found  manv  other  conditions  that  were  making  for  disquiet  and 


NEGRO  LABOR  IN  WAR  TIME  371 

unrest.  Altliough  colored  men  were  being  drafted  and  called  to  fight 
for  their  country  on  battlefields  abroad,  many  of  their  relatives  and 
dependents  at  home,  even  those  upon  the  Civil  Service  register  as 
eligible  for  appointment,  were  being  d.jied  employment  and  dis- 
criminated against  in  nearly  every  branch  of  the  departmental  sei-vice 
in  Washington.  One  of  the  first  cases  brought  to  his  attention  was 
that  of  a  cultured  and  refined  young  colored  woman,  a  relative  by 
marriage  of  the  late  Frederick  Douglass,  the  great  Negro  leader. 
She  had  met  the  Civil  Service  requirements,  had  been  duly  certified 
to  serve  the  Goverament  as  ''Index  and  Catalogue  Clerk,"  but  when 
she  reported  for  duty  and  w^as  found  to  have  an  admixture  of  Negro 
blood,  she  was  told  that  a  ''MISTAKE  HAD  BEEN  MADE/' 
Manifestly  the  same  racial  discrimination  was  practiced  in  dozens 
of  similar  cases,  and  led  to  the  author's  taking  up  the  matter  with  a 
number  of  the  Government  officials  who  were  responsible  for  such 
injustices.  While  he  always  recognized  the  fact  that  his  duties  were 
primarily  to  look  after  the  interests  of  colored  soldiers,  yet  as  far 
as  was  practicable,  he  endeavored  to  look  after  the  interests  of  col- 
ored civilians  as  well,  and  the  attached  correspondence  concerning 
the  young  woman  above  referred  to  is  typical  of  his  efforts  in  this 
direction,  though  he  frankly  admits  that  such  cases  of  racial  dis- 
crimination in  the  Government  bureaus  at  Washington  have  been  far 
too  numerous  for  him  to  give  to  each  of  them  the  personal  attention 
required : 

December  13,  1917. 

Memorandum — For  Lieut.  Ernest  J.  Wesson, 

Officer  in  Charge,  Civilian  Personnel  Section, 
Administration  Division,  U.  S.  Signal  Corps : 

At  the  instance  of  Dean  F.  P.  Keppel,  Confidential  Adviser,  Office  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  I  am  writing  you  in  the  following  matter  which  has  been 
brought  to  my  attention. 

Mrs.  Fannie  II.  Douglass,  910  T  Street,  N.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C,  has 
brought  to  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  a  telegram  received  by  her, 
dated  December  7,  1917,  which  reads  as  follows : 

"Mi-s.  Fannie  H.  Douglass,  329  You  St.,  N.  W.  (which  was  her  former 
address),  Washington,  D.  C. : 

"Your  name  certified  by  Civil  Service  Commission  for  appointment 
Chief  Signal  Officer,  twelve  hundred  dollars  per  annum ;  if  you  accept,  report 


372  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

as  soon  as  possible,  Room  826,  Mills  Building  Annex,  this  city,  for  duty.  "Wire 
reply,  Government,  collect. 

(Signed)     Squire,  Chief  Signal  Officer." 

Mrs.  Douglass  states  that  she  telegraphed  her  acceptance  of  the  offer,  and 
reported  for  duty  as  requested;  that  she  was  given  certain  blank  forms  to 
fill  out;  that  she  filled  out  the  forms  given  her,  and  that  a  detached  portion, 
headed:  "The  appointee  will  detach  this  portion  of  the  sheet  and  retain  it 
for  his  information  and  guidance, ' '  was  given  her,  which  detached  portion  she 
has  brought  to  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War;  and  that,  after  these  pro- 
ceedings, she  was  informed  that  "tliere  liad  heeri  a  mistake." 

Inquiry  at  the  office  of  the  Appointment  Division  elicits  the  information 
that  Mrs.  Fannie  H.  Douglass  was  certified  to  the  office  of  the  Chief  Signal 
Officer  on  December  6,  1917,  as  Index  and  Catalogue  Clerk,  grade  of  clerk- 
ship for  which  she  had  been  examined,  and  to  which  position  she  has  been 
certified. 

"Will  you  kindly  let  me  have,  for  the  Secretary  of  War,  all  the  facts  bear- 
ing on  this  matter? 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.  Scott, 
Special  Assistant  to  Secretary  of  War. 

War  Department,  Washington,  December  15,  1917. 
Memorandum — Mr.  Emmett  J.  Scott, 
Special  Assistant, 

Office  of  Secretary  of  War. 

In  reply  to  yours  of  December  13,  1917,  you  are  advised  from  the  in- 
vestigation in  this  office  it  would  appear  that  Mrs.  Fannie  H.  Douglass  has 
been  the  innocent  victim  of  a  series  of  unfortunate  errors.  The  facts  sur- 
rounding this  case  are  as  follows: 

On  December  6th  the  Equipment  Division  of  the  Signal  Corps  applied 
for  certification  of  a  large  number  of  Index  and  Catalogue  Clerks.  This  ap- 
plication was  referred  to  the  Appointment  Division  by  telephone  and  this 
office  was  informed  that  all  certificates  covering  the  eligibles  for  this  position 
were  in  the  Ordnance  Department,  that  these  people  probably  being  engaged 
in  that  Department,  this  office  was  authorized  to  make  temporary  appoint- 
ments of  that  grade.  The  Equipment  Di\'ision  informed  the  undersigned 
that  they  had  the  names  of  persons  at  various  points  in  the  United  States  to 
fill  these  positions.  Upon  receipt  of  this  authority  to  make  temporary  ap- 
pointments they  were  to  telegraph  these  persons  to  come  to  Washington,  D.  C, 
and  did  so.  Shortly  afterwards  fourteen  certificates  covering  eligibles  for 
the  position  of  Index  and  Catalogue  Clerks  were  received  in  this  office  from 


NEGRO  LABOR  IN  WAR  TIME  373 

the  Appointment  Division,  they  undoubtedly  having  received  these  from  the 
Civil  Service  Commission  subsequent  to  our  telephonic  conversation. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  large  number  of  persons  had  been  directed  to 
proceed  to  Washington  at  their  own  expense  from  various  parts  of  the  United 
States  to  accept  temporary  appointments,  the  undersigned  did  not  care  to 
take  any  action  on  these  certificates,  knowing  that  vacancies  would  shortly 
occur  in  the  Air  Division  in  which  the  appointees  covered  by  such  certificates 
could  be  placed.  Nevertheless,  through  clerical  error,  all  of  these  persons 
were  notified  by  telegram.  However,  Mrs.  Douglass  was  the  first  person  to 
report,  and  as  no  transportation  had  been  involved  in  her  case,  and  further, 
that  upon  questioning  the  clerk  in  this  office,  who  handles  these  matters,  it 
was  found  that  Mrs.  Douglass  had  not  given  up  her  position  and  would  not 
suffer  any  pecuniary  loss,  the  undersigned  instructed  this  clerk  to  inform  Mrs. 
Douglass  that  she  had  been  notified  to  appear  through  error,  this  due  to  the 
fact  that  vacancies  existing  had  been  filled  by  temporarj^  appointments  and  it 
seemed  hardly  just  to  displace  these  persons  who  had  come  to  Washington  at 
their  own  expense,  and  that  the  undersigned  had  full  knowledge  that  further 
openings  were  to  occur  in  the  near  future  when  the  services  of  all  Index  and 
Catalogue  clerks  could  be  utilized. 

At  a  later  date,  which  cannot  be  recalled,  Mrs.  Douglass  called  at  this 
office  and  was  voluntarily  informed  by  the  undersigned  that  vacancies  were 
now  existing  and  she  would  receive  telegram  in  due  time  to  report  to  this 
office  for  duty. 

With  reference  to  Mrs.  Douglass  fiilling  out  the  blank  forms,  you  are 
advised  that  the  first  impression  in  this  office  was  that  she  had  been  certified 
as  a  Departmental  Clerk,  certain  statements  on  her  papers  that  she  had 
taken  the  Departmental  examination,  being  the  cause  of  this  error,  and  it 
was  not  until  after  these  forms  had  been  completed,  was  it  determined  that 
she  had  been  erroneously  summoned  as  Index  and  Catalogue  Clerk, 

Mrs.  Douglass  has  been  notified  to  appear  for  duty  Monday  morning 
next,  as  Index  and  Catalogue  Clerk. 

By  direction  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer, 

(Signed)    E.  J.  Wesson, 

1st  Lt.,  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  R. 

It  is  worth  while  remarking  that  this  young  woman  proved  so 
capable  and  painstaking  that  she  was  afterward  placed  in  charge  of 
the  group  of  young  women  who  did  the  file-indexing  in  her  division. 


CHAPTEE  XXVII 

NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK 

Enthusiastic  Service  of  Colored  Women  in  the  Wartime  Emergency 
— Overcoming  the  Problems  of  Race  by  Pure  Patriotism — 
Work  for  the  Red  Cross — The  Young  Women's  Christian  As- 
sociation— The  Colored  Hostess  Houses  and  Rest  Rooms  for 
Soldiers — War  Problems  of  Living — The  Circle  for  Negro 
War  Relief — Colored  Women  in  the  Loan  Drives — Important 
Work  in  War  Industries. 

By  Alice  DuNBAR-NELsoisr 

Wlien  the  world  war  began,  even  before  the  United  States 
had  entered  the  conflict,  the  women  of  this  country  were  thrilled 
as  women  have  ever  been  since  wars  began,  with  the  desire  to 
serve.  As  if  in  anticipation  of  the  days  soon  to  come  when  their 
own  men  would  be  sent  forth  to  battle,  they  began  to  sew  and 
knit  and  plan  relief  work  for  the  men  of  other  nations.  It  was 
but  an  earnest  of  the  days  to  come,  w^hen  every  nerve  of  the  nation 
would  be  strained  to  care  for  its  o\vn  men. 

When,  after  that  day  in  April,  1917,  so  filled  with  direful  pos- 
sibilities for  the  nation,  the  women  realized  that  they  were  indeed 
to  be  called  upon  to  give  up  their  all,  there  was  but  one  desire 
in  the  hearts  of  all  the  women  of  the  country — to  do  their  utmost 
for  the  men  who  were  about  to  go  forth  to  battle  for  an  ideal. 
Overnight  careless  idlers  were  transformed  into  busy  workers; 
social  butterflies  into  earnest  grubs;  thoughtless  girls  into  poised 
women;  card  clubs  into  knitting  circles;  aspirants  to  social  honors 
into  workers  whose  sole  ambition  was  to  be  a  definite  factor  in 
helpful  service.  Where  there  had  been  petty  bickering,  there  was 
now  a  realization  that  this  was  no  time  for  the  small  things  of 
life.  The  one  common  sorrow  of  loss  of  the  men  dearest  to  them, 
of  seeing  their  sons,  brothers,  fathers  and  husbands  in  the  great 
conflict,  welded  together  the  women  of  the  nation,  and  purged  the 
dross  of  littleness  from  their  souls  by  the  fire  of  service. 

374 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  375 

One  thing  wliicli  served  to  strengthen  and  intensify  the 
feeling  of  responsibility  and  seriousness  of  the  women  of  the 
country  was  the  fact  that  for  the  first  time  in  the  historj''  of  the 
world,  a  nation  at  war  recognized  its  women  as  a  definite  asset  in 
the  conduct  of  the  war.  Hitherto,  her  place  had  been  that  of 
those  in  the  poem,  ''For  men  must  work,  and  women  must  weep." 
Hers  was  the  task  of  sending  her  men  forth  to  return  with  their 
shields  or  upon  them,  while  she  remained  at  home  to  weep  and 
perhaps  make  bandages  against  the  return  of  her  wounded  men. 
As  a  factor  in  the  war  she  was  nil,  save  in  those  isolated  and  abor- 
tive cases  in  history  where  she  became  an  Amazon  or  a  Molly 
Pitcher. 

But  in  April,  1917,  all  this  was  changed!  The  nation  called 
upon  its  women  to  do  definite  and  constructive  w^ork,  far-reaching 
and  real.  It  called  them  not  only  to  nurse  the  wounded,  but  to 
conserve  the  health  of  those  at  home;  not  only  to  give  aid  and 
comfort  to  the  fighting  men,  but  to  preserve  the  health  and  morals 
of  the  w^omen  whom  they  must  meet,  love,  and  marry;  not  only 
to  make  bandages  for  the  stricken  soldiers,  but  to  provide  ambu- 
lances and  even  drive  them;  not  only  to  give  love  and  tears,  but 
money,  which  they  raised  from  every  legitimate  source;  not  only 
to  cheer  the  men  as  they  marched  to  the  front,  but  to  keep  up  the 
morale  of  those  left  at  home;  and  to  fan  into  a  fiame  the  sparks 
of  patriotism  in  the  breasts  of  those  whom  the  country  denied  the 
privilege  of  bearing  arms.  With  one  stroke  the  Government 
organized  every  woman  of  the  nation  into  an  inclusive  body,  and 
mobilized  the  formerly  overlooked  greatest  asset  of  the  nation. 

Into  this  maelstrom  of  war  activity  the  women  of  the  Negro 
race  hurled  themselves  joyously.  They  asked  no  odds,  remembered 
no  grudges,  solicited  no  favors,  pleaded  for  no  privileges.  They 
came  by  the  thousands,  hands  opened  wide  to  give  of  love  and 
service  and  patriotism.  It  was  enough  for  them  that  their  country 
v;as  at  war;  it  was  enough  for  them  that  there  was  work  to  do. 
Centuries  of  labor  had  taught  them  the  love  of  labor;  a  heritage 
of  service  had  taught  them  the  beauty  of  giving  of  themselves,  and 
a  race  record  of  patriotism  and  loyalty  had  imbued  them  inherently 
with  the  flaming  desire  to  do  their  part  in  the  struggle  of  their 
native  land. 


376  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  problem  of  the  woman  of  the  Negro  race  was  a  peculiar 
one.  Was  she  to  do  her  work  independently  of  the  women  of  the 
other  race,  or  was  she  to  merge  herself  into  their  organizations? 
There  were  separate  regiments  for  Negro  soldiers;  should  there 
be  separate  organizations  for  relief  work  among  Negro  women? 
If  she  joined  relief  organizations,  such  as  the  Red  Cross  Society, 
and  worked  with  them,  would  she  be  assured  that  her  handiwork 
would  reach  black  hands  on  the  other  side  of  the  world,  or  should 
she  be  great-hearted  and  give  her  serv-ice,  simply  for  the  sake 
of  giving,  not  caring  who  was  to  be  benefited?  Could  she  be  sure 
that  when  she  offered  her  services  she  would  be  understood  as 
desiring  to  be  a  help,  and  not  mshing  to  be  an  associate!  As  is 
usually  the  case  when  any  problem  presents  itself  to  the  nation  at 
large,  the  Negro  faces  a  double  problem  should  he  essay  a  solu- 
tion— the  great  issue  and  the  lesser  problem  of  racial  adjustment  to 
that  issue. 

However,  the  women  of  the  race  cut  the  Gordian  knot  witlj 
magnificent  simplicity.  They  offered  their  services  and  gave  them 
freely,  in  whatsoever  form  was  most  pleasing  to  the  local  organiza- 
tions of  white  women.  They  accepted  Avithout  a  murmur  the  place 
assigned  them  in  the  ranks.  They  placed  the  national  need  before 
the  local  prejudice;  they  put  great-heartedness  and  pure  patriotism 
above  the  ancient  creed  of  racial  antagonism.  For  pure,  unalloj^cd 
unselfishness  of  the  highest  order,  the  conduct  of  the  Negro  women 
of  the  United  States  during  the  world  war  stands  out  in  splendid 
rt^lief,  a  lesson  to  the  entire  world  of  what  womanhood  of  the  best 
type  really  means. 

Colored  Women  and  the  Red  Cross 

At  the  very  beginning  of  the  war,  the  first  organization  to 
which  the  women  of  the  country  naturally  turned  was  the  Eed 
Cross  Society.  It  was  to  be  expected  that  the  colored  woman,  pre- 
eminently the  best  nurse  in  the  world,  would  necessarily  turn 
to  the  Red  Cross  Society  as  a  field  in  which  to  exercise  her  peculiar 
gifts.  Red  Cross  branches  were  organized  in  practically  every 
community  in  the  country.  Yet  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  tell  just 
what  the  contribution  of  the  colored  woman  has  been  to  this  organi- 
zation. "We  are  told  that,  "The  American  Red  Cross  during  the 
war    enlisted  workers  v»'ithout  recrard  to    creed    or    color    and    no 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IX  V^AR  WORK  377 

separate  records  were  maintained  of  the  work  of  any  particular 
Auxiliary.  We  know  that  some  eight  million  women  worked  for 
the  Eed  Cross  in  one  way  or  another  during  the  war,  but  we  have 
no  figures  indicating  how  many  of  them  were  colored." 

In  the  Northern  cities  the  colored  women  merged  their  identity 
in  their  Red  Cross  work  with  the  white  women,  that  is,  in  some 
Northern  cities.  In  others,  and  in  the  South,  they  formed  inde- 
pendent units,  auxiliaries  to  the  local  branches  presided  over  by 
the  women  of  the  other  race.  These  auxiliaries  sent  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  knitted  gannents  to  the  front,  maintained  restaurants, 
did  canteen  service  where  they  could ;  sent  men  from  the  local  draft 
boards  to  the  camps  with  comfort  kits;  in  short,  did  all  that  could 
be  done — all  that  they  were  allowed  to  do. 

But  the  story  of  the  colored  woman  and  the  Red  Cross  is  not 
altogether  a  pleasant  one.  Unfortunately,  her  activities  in  this 
direction  were  considerably  curtailed  in  many  localities.  There 
were  whole  sections  of  the  country  in  which  she  was  denied  the 
pri^dlege  of  doing  canteen  service.  There  were  other  sections  in 
which  canteen  service  was  so  managed  as  to  be  canteen  service  in 
name  only.  Local  conditions,  racial  antipathies,  ancient  prejudices 
militated  sadly  against  her  usefulness  in  this  work.  To  the  ever- 
lasting and  eternal  credit  of  the  colored  woman  be  it  said  that,  in 
spite  of  what  might  have  been  absolute  deterrents,  she  persisted 
in  her  service  and  was  not  downcast  in  the  face  of  difficulties. 

The  best  part  of  the  whole  situation  lies  in  the  fact  that  in 
the  local  organizations  of  the  Red  Cross  the  Negro  woman  was  the 
beneficiary.  The  Home  Nursing  classes  and  the  classes  in  Dietetics 
not  only  served  to  strengthen  the  morale  of  the  women  engaged 
therein,  but  raised  the  tone  of  every  community  in  which  they 
were  organized.  This  was  shown  during  the  influenza  epidemic 
of  1918,  when  a  panic-stiicken  nation  called  upon  its  volunteer 
nurses  of  eveiy  race  and  color,  and  the  women  of  the  Red  Cross 
were  ready  in  response  and  in  training. 

Theodore  Roosevelt  has  said,  "All  of  us  who  give  service  and 
stand  ready  for  sacrifice,  are  the  torch-bearers.  We  run  with  the 
torches  until  we  fall,  content  if  we  can  then  pass  them  to  the  hands 
of  other  runners."  If  that  be  the  case,  the  gray  chapter  of  the 
colored  nurses  in  overseas  service  is  a  golden  one.    Early  in  1918 


378  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

the  Government  issued  a  call  for  nurses.  The  need  was  great  over- 
seas; it  was  greater  at  home.  Colored  women  since  the  inception 
of  the  war  had  felt  keenly  their  exclusion  from  overseas  service. 
The  need  for  them  was  acute ;  their  willingness  to  go  was  complete ; 
the  only  thing  that  was  wanted  was  authoritative  sanction.  In  June, 
1918,  it  was  officially  announced  that  the  Secretary  of  War  had 
authorized  the  calling  of  colored  nurses  in  the  national  service. 
It  was  an  act  that  did  more  complete  justice  to  our  people,  in 
enfranchising  our  women  for  this  noble  service  than  any  other  of  the 
war.  All  colored  nurses  who  had  been  registered  by  the  American 
Red  Cross  Society  were  thus  given  the  right  to  render  service  to 
their  own  race  in  the  army.  Colored  nurses  v\rere  assigned  to  the 
base  hospitals  at  Camp  Funston,  Kansas;  Camp  Grant,  Rockford, 
Illinois;  Camp  Dodge,  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Camp  Taylor,  Louisville, 
Kentucky;  Camp  Sherman,  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  and  Camp  Dix, 
Wrightstown,  New  Jersey.  At  these  camps  a  total  of  about  38,000 
colored  troops  were  located. 

The  Service  of  Colored  Nurses 

Colored  people  throughout  the  country  felt  deep  satisfaction 
over  this  authorization  of  the  enrollment  of  colored  nurses  at  the 
base  hospitals  and  camps.  Hundreds  of  competent  colored  nurses 
had  registered  their  names  for  many  months  with  the  Nursing- 
Division  of  the  American  Red  Cross,  in  the  hope  of  finally  securing 
positions  where  their  skill  and  experience  could  be  utilized  to  proper 
advantage.  These  last  were  particularly  gTatified  over  the  happy 
turn  of  affairs.  At  the  convention  of  the  National  Association  of 
Colored  Graduate  Nurses  held  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  a  formal 
message  of  appreciation  was  sent  to  the  War  Department,  the 
American  Red  Cross  Society,  and  other  agencies  that  had  been 
instrumental  in  pushing  their  claims. 

Mrs.  Adah  B.  Thomas,  R.  N.,  president  of  the  National  Asso- 
ciation of  Graduate  Nurses,  attached  to  the  staff  of  the  Lincoln 
Hospital  and  Home  in  New  York  City,  gave  a  typical  expression 
of  the  sentiment  of  the  colored  nurses  and  the  colored  people  gen- 
erally with  reference  to  the  admission  of  colored  women  to  this 
branch  of  service.  She  was  the  first  to  offer  herself  for  overseas 
service.  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  sent  a  contingent  for  active  sei'vice 
at  once.     Elizabeth  Miller  of  Meharry  Medical  College,  Nashville, 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  379 

Tennessee,  answered  the  Government  call  and  was  assigned  to  duty 
at  a  nitrate  plant  in  Alabama. 

These  were  but  sporadic  instances  indicating  the  instant  re- 
sponse to  the  long-waited  call  to  service.  Unfortunately,  before 
any  considerable  change  in  existing  circumstances  surrounding  this 
branch  of  service  could  be  made,  the  Armistice  was  signed  and  his- 
tory will  never  know  what  the  colored  woman  might  have  done  on 
the  battlefields  of  France  as  a  Red  Cross  Nurse.  Rumor,  more  or 
less  authentic,  states  that  over  300  colored  nurses  were  on  the 
battlefields,  though  their  complexion  disguised  their  racial  identity. 

Young  Women's  Christian  Association 

Of  the  remedial  agencies  at  work  for  the  relief  of  humanity, 
and  the  shouldering  of  responsibility  for  the  health,  morals,  and 
happiness  of  those  also  working  for  the  relief  of  humanity,  the 
Young  Women's  Christian  Association  in  its  operation  among  the 
colored  girls,  women,  and  men  stands  out  pre-eminently.  The 
reason  for  this  is  not  hard  to  seek — the  qualities  of  personality  in 
the  leader  of  this  work  among  colored  women.  Miss  Eva  D.  Bowles. 

At  the  time  the  country  faced  the  possibility  of  war,  the 
National  Board  of  the  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  was 
confronted  with  the  great  responsibility  of  helping  to  safe2:uard 
the  moral  life  of  women  and  girls  as  affected  by  war  conditions. 
Request  came  from  the  United  States  War  Department  Commis- 
sion on  Training  Camp  Activities  and  from  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  for  women  workers  to  undertake  work 
among  girls  in  communities  adjacent  to  army  and  navy  training 
camps.  Hence  the  formation  of  the  War  Work  Council.  It 
was  organized  in  June,  1917,  with  a  membership  of  100,  its  func- 
tion to  help  meet  the  special  needs  of  girls  and  young  women  in 
all  countries  affected  by  the  war.  Allied  with  this  was  the  Junior 
War  Work  Council,  and  the  Patriotic  League.  The  extension  of 
these  activities  among  colored  girls  and  women  was  simultaneous, 
and  one  of  the  brightest  chapters  in  the  story  of  women  in  the 
war  is  the  one  which  records  how  this  work  measured  up  to  the 
responsibilities  laid  upon  it. 

The  War  Work  Council  of  the  Young  Women's  Christian 
Association,  recognizing  the  loyalty  and  the  need  of  the  colored 


380  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

women  and  girls  of  the  country,  devoted  $400,000  of  its  1918  budget  to 
the  work  among  the  colored  girls.  When  it  was  organized  there  was 
one  colored  National  Secretary  and  sixteen  associations  or  com- 
munities, with  nine  paid  workers.  The  great  demand  for  a  better 
morale  among  the  girls  of  the  countiy  soon  raised  that  number 
to  twelve  National  workers,  three  field  supervisors,  and  forty-two 
centers,  with  sixty-three  paid  workers. 

There  were  opened  up  in  the  various  camps  fifteen  hostess 
houses  with  complete  staffs  of  colored  women.  These  houses  served 
a  splendid  purpose.  When  the  War  Department  planned  the  great 
training  camps  it  may  not  have  remembered  the  women  of  the 
country  in  the  stress  of  making  up  the  army  of  men,  or  it  may 
have  thought  that  if  it  said  that  there  were  to  be  no  women  in  the 
camps,  there  would  be  none.  But  every  vv'oman  knows  that  as 
long  as  there  is  a  path  to  the  camps,  that  path  the  womxcn  will 
follow;  be  it  on  foot,  by  boat,  in  cars,  trains,  trolleys,  motor  cars, 
or  on  horseback;  and  if  there  be  no  trail,  the  women  will  blaze 
one.  They  must  see  if  their  men  are  ill,  or  living,  and  how  they 
are  living.  If  they  are  ill,  they  must  get  to  them;  if  homesick, 
they  must  cheer  them;  if  they  are  lea,ving  for  overseas,  they  must 
say  good-bye  to  them.  And  if  there  are  none  of  their  own,  they 
must  be  charitable  enough  to  extend  their  good-will  to  the  lonely 
and  heart-hungry  of  others. 

Hence  the  birth  of  the  Hostess  House  idea;  a  bit  of  home  in 
the  camps,  a  place  of  rest  and  refreshment  for  the  women  folks 
belonging  to  the  soldiers;  a  sheltering  chaperonage  for  the  too- 
enthusiastic  girl;  a  dainty  supplement  to  the  stern  face  of  the 
camp-life  of  the  soldiers;  an  information  bureau  for  women  and 
soldiers  alike;  a  clearing-house  for  the  social  activities  which 
included  the  men  in  camps  and  their  women  visitors. 

As  the  colored  troops  came  into  the  camps  in  large  numbers, 
there  was  an  urgent  appeal  to  meet  the  needs  of  their  women. 
The  first  house  to  be  opened  was  at  Camp  Upton,  when  the  *' Buffa- 
loes" (367th)  were  being  made  into  the  crack  reg-iment  that  it 
afterward  became;  Mrs.  Hannah  C.  Smith,  the  pioneer  among  the 
Hostess  House  leaders,  going  there  to  take  charge  in  the  early 
part  of  November,  1917.  Only  great  enthusiasm  and  faith  in  the 
value  of  the  work  to  be  done  could  have  brought  about  the  results 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  381 

which  Mrs.  Smith  achiovod  tit  Camp  Upton  at  this  time.  The 
temporary  headquarters  for  the  hostess  house  were  in  a  bar- 
racks mth  few  conveniences  and  almost  no  possibilities.  Mrs. 
Smith,  with  her  co-worker,  Mrs.  Norcomb,  soon  made  the  place 
as  homelike  as  possible.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  Hostess 
House  work  for  colored  women. 

In  no  very  great  while  Hostess  Houses  in  seven  of  the  large 
camps  were  in  operation  and  others  soon  followed.  In  some  camps, 
where  there  was  a  definite  surety,  work  was  begun  in  the  barracks. 
From  many  Southern  camps  came  the  request  for  the  immediate 
erection  of  houses  on  an  insufficient  plan,  but  these  plans  were 
rejected.  Finally,  in  the  natural  progress  that  came,  the  houses 
were  erected,  and  used  the  same  as  other  Hostess  Houses.  The 
relationship  of  the  staff  to  the  whole  staff  of  the  camp  developed 
into  an  ideal,  and  all  groups  working  under  the  general  tutelage 
of  the  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  understood  each  other 
and  had  a  better  appreciation  of  mutual  problems  by  working 
together. 

The  Y.  W.  C.  A.  and  V/ar  Industries 

As  the  war  progressed,  our  colored  girls  were  taken  into  almost 
every  phase  of  the  industrial  field.  It  was  then  recognized  early 
in  the  work  that  the  success  of  the  movement  depended  largely 
upon  the  correct  interpretation  of  the  colored  girl  to  her  employer 
and  her  white  co-worker,  and  of  a  fair,  just  attitude  of  the  white 
worker  toward  the  colored  girl.  The  war  opened  up  many  avenues 
of  employment  and  service  to  the  colored  girls  that  had  not  hitherto 
been  her  privilege  to  accept,  principally  in  the  industrial  field,  and 
with  the  opening  up  of  these  new  lines  of  work,  new  problems  were 
developed;  consequently  there  came  a  demand  for  women  to  go 
into  localities  where  factories  were  located,  to  make  investigations 
as  to  working  conditions,  housing  and  recreational  facilities;  to 
create  a  better  understanding  between  the  employer  and  employee, 
and  to  assist  in  the  opening  up  of  new  opportunities  for  work. 
As  a  result  of  this,  an  industrial  worker  was  placed  at  such  vital 
points  as  Detroit,  St.  Louis,  Louisville,  East  St.  Louis,  Nitro,  "West 
Virginia ;  Penniman,  Virginia,  and  Philadelphia,  with  one  appointed 
for  Baltimore,  and  an  acute  situation  in  Washington  cared  for. 

Not  only  was  there  need  for  the  care  and  protection  of  the 
girl  in  the  factory,  but  equally  as  much  so  for  those  in  more  social 


382  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

communities.  This  led  to  the  development  of  club  and  recreational 
centers  especially  in  cities  near  which  camps  were  located.  To-day, 
these  centers  reach  from  New  York  to  Los  Angeles,  California,  and 
from  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  to  San  Antonio,  Texas.  These  clubs  and 
recreational  centers  are  also  an  important  feature  in  industrial 
communities. 

Splendid  Colored  Women  Workers 

Not  only  in  groups,  but  as  individuals,  the  women  felt  the  call 
of  this  great  and  important  work,  and  responded  from  every  walk 
of  life.  There  were  many  offers  of  volunteer  sei^ice,  and  Miss 
Mary  Cromwell,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  was  one  of  those  to  offer. 
She  spent  the  summer  at  Camp  Dix  as  a  volunteer  information 
and  emergency  hostess,  and  completed  her  two  months  of  observa- 
tion and  service,  feeling  that  there  was  an  imperative  need  for  the 
workers  to  be  able  to  differentiate  between  types  of  people  and 
to  deal  with  each  type  scientifically  as  well  as  sympathetically;  to 
know  enough  about  such  things  as  Home  Service,  War  Eisk  Insur- 
ance, Protective  Agencies,  and  Allotments,  to  answer  any  ques- 
tion that  might  be  asked. 

Miss  Cromwell  was  well  fitted  both  by  training  and  experience 
for  her  work.  As  an  undergraduate  at  Ann  Arbor,  she  spent  her 
summers  in  New  Y^ork  doing  special  investigations  for  the  Charity 
Organization  Society.  After  graduating,  she  became  a  teacher  in 
the  Dunbar  High  School  of  Washington,  and  there  she  became 
interested  in  the  Washington  alleys,  and  opened  a  settlement  in  one 
of  the  most  congested  districts.  Later,  she  received  her  "master's 
degree"  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  for  special  research 
work  in  psychology. 

The  arduous  task  of  directing  the  work  of  the  Industrial  Sec- 
tion of  the  War  Work  Council  was  given  over  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
Jackson,  as  Special  Industrial  Worker  among  Colored  Women  for 
the  War  Work  Council.  She  was  appointed  in  December,  1917. 
Prior  to  that  time,  Miss  Jackson  did  statistical  work  in  the  Labor 
Department  of  the  State  of  Rhode  Island. 

Associated  with  Miss  Bowles  in  this  War  Work  Council  of  col- 
ored women  as  heads  of  departments  in  addition  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
Jackson,  w^ere  Miss  Ciystal  Bird,  girls'  worker;  Mrs.  Vivian  W. 
Stokes,  who  at  one  time  was  associated  with  the  National  Urban 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  383 

League  and  assisted  in  making  a  survey  of  New  York  City  in  con- 
nection with  the  Urban  League  of  New  York  (Mrs.  Stokes'  work  in 
connection  with  the  Room  Registry  work  has  already  been  men- 
tioned) ;  Mrs.  Lucy  B.  Richmond,  special  worker  for  town  and  coun- 
try; Miss  Mabel  S.  Brady,  recruiting  secretary  in  the  Personnel 
Bureau;  Miss  Juliette  Dericotte,  special  student  worker;  Mrs.  Cor- 
delia A.  AVinn,  formerly  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Columbus, 
Ohio;  Mrs.  Ethel  J.  Kindle,  special  office  worker.  Miss  Josephine 
V.  Pinyon  was  appointed  a  special  war  worker  in  Aug-ust,  1917.  She 
is  a  graduate  of  Cornell  University,  a  former  teacher,  and  a  student 
;Y.  W.  C.  A.  secretary  from  1912  to  1916. 

The  field  workers  were  Mrs.  Adele  Ruffin,  South  Atlantic  Field, 
appointed  in  October,  1917.  Mrs.  Ruffin  was  a:  teacher  for  some 
years  at  Kittrell  College,  and  then  secretary  of  the  Y.  W.  C.  A. 
branch  at  Richmond,  Virginia.  Miss  May  Belcher  had  charge  of  the 
iSouth  Central  field  and  Miss  Maria  L.  Wilder  of  the  Southwestern 
field.  Miss  Elizabeth  Carter  was  loaned  to  the  Association  work 
by  the  Board  of  Education  of  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts,  where 
she  is  the  only  colored  teacher  in  the  city.  She  is  chairman  of  the 
Northeastern  Federation  of  Colored  Women's  Clubs,  and  former 
president  of  the  National  Association  of  Colored  Women's  Clubs. 
She  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  center  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

Aside  from  these,  there  was  a  small  army  of  club  and  recreation 
workers,  Hostess  House  workers,  industrial  workers,  and  super- 
visors. Throughout  the  trying  ordeal  of  directing  the  work  of  these 
assistants,  and  meeting  the  huge  problems  presented  to  the  council. 
Miss  Bowles  remained  perhaps  the  most  effective  and  achieving,  and 
at  the  same  time,  noiseless  worker  among  the  colored  women  in  this 
countiy. 

Women's  Division,  Council  of  National  Defense 

The  Council  of  National  Defense  made  the  best  organized  at- 
tempt at  mobilizing  the  colored  women  of  all  the  war  organizations. 
In  most  Northern  States  it  was  felt  that  separate  organizations  were 
superfluous,  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  in  many  cases  it  was  agTeed  that 
the  work  could  be  best  served  by  distinct  units.  There  were  many 
ramifications  to  the  work  of  the  Council  of  Defense ;  registration  of 
women,  the  weighing  and  measuring  of  babies,  the  establishment  of 
milk  stations,  health  and  recreations  centers,  supervision  of  women 


384  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

in  industiy,  correlation  with  otlier  war  organizations.  Different 
States  excelled  in  different  phases  of  the  work.  In  the  establishment 
of  Child  Welfare  and  the  conservation  of  infancy  j^Ia,bama  seems  to 
be  the  banner  state,  the  best  work  emanating  from  Tuskegee,  where 
the  examination  of  infants  was  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  AVhit- 
aker.  At  Birmingham,  Alabama,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Davenport  had  charge 
of  the  activities  of  the  Council  and  was  particularly  successful  in 
the  establishment  of  Community  houses  at  two  great  industrial 
centers,  Acipco  and  Bessemer.  In  the  first  community,  where  the 
managers  of  the  plant  had  established  a  model  village  with  com^ 
munity  house  and  all  forms  of  Community  life,  the  entire  program 
of  the  Council  of  Defense  was  carried  through,  conservation  of  chil- 
dren, attention  to  health  and  recreation,  with  a  veiy  strong  empha- 
sis on  food  conservation.  In  the  latter  instance,  a  Community  house 
established  in  the  heart  of  the  village  of  Bessemer  concentrated  on 
child  welfare,  food  conservation,  and  war  gardens. 

Service  in  Various  States 

Two  women  in  Florida  stand  out  as  doing  yeoman  ser\dce 
under  the  work  of  the  AYomen's  Committee  of  the  Council  of  De- 
fense. Mrs.  Mary  McLeod  Bethune,  who  at  Daytona,  where  her 
splendid  school  is  situated,  pushed  forward  the  work  of  the  Emer- 
gency Circle,  Negro  War  Relief,  and  Miss  Eartha  White,  the  State 
Chairman  of  the  Colored  Woman's  Section  of  the  Council  of  De- 
fense. Under  her  direction  Florida  was  organized  into  excellent 
working  units,  with  a  particular  concentration  on  a  Mutual  Protec- 
tion League  for  AVorking  Girls,  who  had  taken  up  the  unfamiliar 
work  of  elevator  girls,  bell  girls  in  hotels,  and  chauffeurs.  From 
this  it  was  not  far  to  a  Union  of  Girls  in  Domestic  Service,  a  by- 
product of  war  conditions  that  might  well  be  continued  in  every 
city  and  hamlet  in  the  country. 

In  Colorado,  the  women  formed  themselves  into  a  Negro 
Women's  Auxiliary  War  Council,  a  Negro  Women's  League  for 
Ser\dce,  and  a  Red  Cross  Auxiliary,  all  apparently  working  under 
the  general  management  of  the  Council  of  Defense.  In  Georgia, 
the  president  of  the  Georgia  State  Federation  of  Colored  Women's 
Clubs,  Mrs.  Alice  Dugged  Carey  of  Atlanta,  reported  organizations 
in  Tallapoosa  County,  a  community  canning  center  in  Bremen, 
Coweta  and  Cobb  counties,  with  other  organizations  in  every  ina- 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  385 

portant  city.  The  Illinois  women,  organized  into  a  Committee  on 
Colored  Women,  worked  in  cooperation  with  the  Urban  League  for 
training  of  Negro  Women. 

Delaware  did  not  have  a  separate  organization  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  Defense,  but  the  race  was  represented  on  the  State  Com- 
mittee, and  through  them  work  was  carried  on.  Mrs.  Blanche  W. 
Stubbs,  president  of  the  City  Federation  of  Christian  Workers,  rep- 
resented the  women,  and  through  her  efforts  the  usual  classes  in  food 
conservation  were  established  at  the  Thomas  Garrett  Settlement, 
while  a  baby-weighing  station  was  established,  and  a  public  nurse 
appointed. 

The  work  in  Indiana  was  carried  on  by  a  separate  division, 
largely  directed  by  the  State  President  of  Colored  Women's  Clubs, 
Mrs.  Gertrude  B.  Hill.  Kentucky,  with  no  special  woman's  divi- 
sion, specialized  on  the  protection  of  girls.  The  best  work  done  in 
Louisiana  was  in  the  conservation  of  children  through  the  weighing 
and  measuring  of  babies,  and  in  the  effective  registration  of  the 
women  and  the  conservation  of  food. 

Maryland  did  some  splendid  and  effective  work  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Miss  Ida  Cummings,  the  State  Chairman  of  the  Colored 
Women's  Committee.  Practically  every  phase  of  the  inclusive  pro- 
gram mapped  out  by  the  Council  of  Defense  was  carried  through, 
and  a  public-speaking  class  at  the  Bowie  Summer  School  was  most 
successful.  Mississippi  was  organized  by  Miss  Sallie  Green,  of 
Sardis,  into  eleven  sections,  corresponding  with  a  similar  organiza- 
tion among  the  white  women,  with  good  work  done  in  child  conserva- 
tion at  Jackson.  Mrs.  Victoria  Clay  Haley  saw  to  it  that  Missouri 
did  effective  work.  Colored  women  in  North  Carolina  merged  their 
war  activities  into  one,  and  were  most  successful  in  training  camp 
activities,  the  War  Camp  Community  Service  maintaining  an  inter- 
esting work  at  Charlotte.  In  Portland,  Oregon,  the  Eosebud  Study 
Club,  as  was  the  case  with  so  many  clubs,  turned  its  attention  to 
knitting  and  a  practical  study  of  food  consei-vation.  In  Columbia, 
South  Carolina,  the  Phyllis  Wheatley  Club  opened  a  community 
center  to  be  used  as  a  clearing-house  for  war  activities,  welcoming 
all  war  organizations  to  work  within  its  walls — ^Y.  W.  C.  A.,  Red 
Cross,  War  Camp  Community  Service,  and  Council  of  Defense. 

In  Tennessee,  Mrs.  Cora  Burke,  of  Knoxville  had  a  successful 


386  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

work;  registration  of  nurses  was  particularly  complete.  The  col- 
ored women  of  Nashville  had  a  tag  day  to  raise  funds  for  their 
Branch  Council  of  National  Defense.  Virginia  concentrated  on 
food  conservation  and  the  Children's  Year,  with  most  successful 
war  gardens.  A  Colored  Woman's  Volunteer  Leagnie  was  organized 
at  Newark,  New  Jersej^,  as  a  branch  of  the  Mayor's  committee,  of 
the  Woman's  Committee  of  the  Council  of  National  Defense,  Mrs. 
Amorel  Cook,  president.  This  league  established  a  canteen  and 
specialized  on  making  soldiers  feel  at  home. 

War  Problems  of  Living 

The  problems  of  living,  made  by  the  war,  which  were  solved 
sometimes  in  whole,  sometimes  in  part  by  the  Woman's  Conmaittee 
of  National  Defense,  w^ere  many  and  various.  For  instance  there 
was  the  shifting  of  the  percentage  of  women  in  the  rural  population 
particularly  in  the  South,  the  same  condition  wliich  was  met  in  the 
North  in  industrial  plants.  The  employment  of  women  in  the  cotton 
fields  was  as  great  a  problem  in  its  way  as  the  mass  of  girlhood  in 
the  Northern  mills.  This  employment  of  the  women  could  not  but 
react  upon  the  child,  wath  a  consequent  lowering  of  child  vitality 
and  raising  of  infant  mortality.  It  was  this  condition  which  the 
Council  of  Defense  tried  to  meet,  and  to  forestall  the  inevitable 
problems  of  reconstruction.  Hence  the  establishment  of  stations 
w^here  babies  were  weighed,  measured,  tested,  and  placed  under 
weekly  supervision  with  competent  nurses  in  charge.  Perhaps  the 
various  units  did  not  always  accomplish  this  end,  but  it  was  an  ideal 
worth  striving  for. 

''The  Lure  of  the  Khaki" 

One  of  the  fundamental  problems  of  the  War — no  new  one  but 
suddenly  aggravated  by  the  abnoraial  atmosphere  and  excitement 
accompanying  the  presence  of  large  numbers  of  soldiers — was  that 
of  the  relationship  of  the  young  girl  and  the  soldier.  What  has  been 
called  **the  lure  of  the  khaki"  is  but  an  expression  on  the  part  of  the 
girl  of  her  admiration  for  the  spirit  of  the  men  who  are  willing  to 
give  their  lives,  if  need  be,  in  the  defense  of  their  country.  How  to 
win  this  feeling  into  the  right  channels  was  one  of  the  problems  of 
the  women  in  the  war.  It  was  met  by  two  organizations,  the  Young- 
Women's  Christian  Association,  of  which  we  have  spoken,  and  the 
War  Camp  Community  Service.    It  was  the  duty  of  the  latter  organi- 


NEGRO  WO.AIEN  IX  WAR  WORK  387 

zation  to  recreate  home  ties  for  enlisted  men  in  cities  adjacent  to 
training  camps. 

It  was  in  providing  this  home  atmosphere  that  the  War  Cump 
Community  Service  was  most  successful.  Entertainment  was  devel- 
oped for  the  colored  soldiers ;  concessions  let  for  poolrooms,  picture 
shows,  canteens  and  cafeterias  in  connection  with  the  work.  But 
where  the  War  Camp  Community  Service  was  most  successful  was 
in  the  chaperoned  dances,  given  at  the  clubrooms.  Here  ''the  lure 
of  the  khaki"  might  find  conventional  self-expression.  The  largest 
of  the  Negro  Community  Service  Clubs  were  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa ; 
Battle  Creek,  Michigan;  Louisville,  Kentucky;  Chillicothe,  Ohio; 
Charlotte,  North  Carolina ;  Petersburg  and  Newport  News,  Virginia ; 
Washington,  D.  C. ;  Baltimore,  Maryland;  Atlanta,  Georgia;  Mont- 
gomery, Alabama;  and  Columbia,  South  Carolina. 

This  w^orking  together  for  a  common  purpose  is  resulting  in 
building  up  a  new  community  consciousness  among  our  own  people 
and  in  tuniing  our  thoughts  to  community  projects  of  a  permanent 
nature.  Early  in  the  war,  work  was  started  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 
From  that  time,  ^dth  the  next  two  centers  at  Chattanooga,  Tennessee, 
there  were  established  in  all  sixty-six  centers,  located  in  Richmond, 
Newport  News,  Ljmchburg,  Norfolk,  Petersburg  and  Peniman,  Vir- 
ginia; Nitro,  West  Virginia;  Pittsburgh,  Philadelphia,  Williamsport, 
Gennantown,  Pennsylvania ;  San  Antonio,  Houston  and  Fort  Worth, 
Texas;  St.  Louis  and  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Washington,  D.  C. ; 
Winston-Salem  and  Charlotte,  North  Carolina;  Youngstown,  Day- 
ton, Cincinnati  and  Columbus,  Ohio;  St.  Paul,  Minnesota;  Orange, 
Jersey  City,  Burlington  and  Montclair,  New  Jersey;  Atlanta  and 
Augusta,  Georgia;  Brookhm  and  New  York  City;  Charleston  and 
Columbia,  South  Carolina ;  Detroit,  Michigan ;  Indianapolis,  Indiana ; 
Little  Rock,  Arkansas;  Louisville,  Kentucky;  Chicago,  Illinois;  with 
a  special  industrial  worker  at  Chester,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  person 
of  Mrs.  Sarah  Fernandis,  of  Baltimore,  an  experienced  social  worker. 
The  Circle  for  NegTo  War  Relief 

Time  and  time  again  it  was  borne  in  upon  the  inner  conscious- 
ness of  the  women  of  the  race  that  though  the  various  organizations 
for  war  relief  were  doing  all  that  was  humanly  possible  for  the  sol- 
diers of  both  races,  they  were  inadequate  for  all  the  needs  of  the 
Negro  soldier  and  his  family.    There  were  avenues  open  for  more 


388  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

extensive  relief;  there  were  places  as  yet  •iintouclied  by  any  organi- 
zation; there  were  programs  of  direct  War  Relief  and  Gonstrnctive 
Relief  work  which  needed  to  be  carried  out  and  some  separate  or- 
ganization for  this  work  was  an  imperative  necessity.  So  the  Circle 
for  Negro  War  Relief  came  into  existence  in  November,  1917.  The 
leading  spirit  in  this  movement  was  Mrs.  Emily  Bigelow  Hapgood, 
the  president,  and  associated  around  her  were  the  best  minds  of  the 
country,  white  and  colored.  The  Circle  was  incorporated,  and  dedi- 
cated itself  to  the  purpose  of  promoting  the- welfare  of  Negro  soldiers 
and  their  dependent  families  as  they  might  be  affected  by  the  emer- 
gencies of  war. 

The  success  of  this  Circle  was  immediate  and  phenomenal. 
Within  a  few  months,  sixty  ''units"  were  fonned,  extending  from 
New  York  to  Utah,  to  the  far  South,  throughout  the  East,  and  middle 
West.  Each  unit  dedicated  itself  in  its  particular  locality  to  the 
relief  of  some  vital  need  either  in  the  Conununity  or  in  some  nearby 
camp.  For  instance  Ambulance  Unit  of  N.  Y,  gave  a  two-thousand 
dollar  ambulance  to  Camp  Upton.  Unit  No.  29  in  St.  Helena,  South 
Carolina,  not  only  did  the  usual  war  knitting  and  letter  writing,  but 
during  the  influenza  epidemic  formed  itself  into  a  health  committee 
in  cooperation  with  the  Red  Cross. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  give  a  complete  report  of  the  work  of  all 
the  units.  It  forais  a  voluminous  mass  of  interesting  and  illuminat- 
ing statistics.  The  activities  of  the  Circle  ranged  from  the  making 
of  comfort  kits  to  the  furnishing  of  chewing  gum  to  the  soldiers; 
from  the  supplying  of  victrolas  and  records  to  the  introduction  of 
Theodore  Roosevelt,  Irvin  Cobb  and  Needham  Roberts  at  Carnegie 
Hall;  from  the  giving  of  Christmas  trees  in  Harlem  to  Southern 
dinners  for  the  home-sick  boys  in  Augusta,  Georgia;  from  contribu- 
tions of  air-cushions  from  Altoona,  Pennsylvania,  to  the  issuing  of 
educational  pamphlets  on  the  subject  of  the  Negro  soldier. 

The  Circle  of  Negro  War  Relief  and  the  Crispus  Attucks  Circle 
organized  in  Philadelphia  in  March,  1918,  constituted  the  nearest 
approach  to  a  Red  Cross  or  other  organization  of  this  character 
through  which  the  colored  people  cooperated  during  the  war.  The 
Crispus  Attucks  Circle  did  for  Philadelphia  what  the  Circle  of  Negro 
War  Relief  did  for  New  York.  Its  name  fitly  commemorated  the 
first  Negro  who  gave  up  his  life  to  help  make  ''the  world  safe  for 
democracy."     The  one  great  project  to  which  it  directed  all  its 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  389 

energies  was  the  attempted  establishment  in  Philadelphia  of  a  base 
hospital  for  Negro  soldiers,  in  which  Negro  physicians  and  Negro 
nurses  should  care  for  their  own. 

It  may  be  objected  and  is  frequently  a  source  of  controversy 
that  separate  hospitals  are  non-essential.  Idle  and  fallacious  reason- 
ing !  Tlioy  are  needed  in  some  places  as  schools,  churches  and  social 
organizations  are  needed.  A  moot  question,  not  to  be  thrashed  out 
here;  merely  a  remark  in  passing  that  the  Crispus  Attuck  Circle 
saw  a  need,  a  vital  need,  and  aimed  to  fill  it.  Certainly  if  every 
individual  in  the  world  saw  the  vital  need  in  his  own  particular  home 
circle  or  community  and  met  that  need  with  joyous  service,  there 
would  be  no  more  wars.  This  is  what  the  women  of  the  race  have 
done  since  April,  1917. 

As  the  Circle  of  Negro  War  Belief  radiated  its  influence  from 
New  York  City  and  the  Crispus  Attucks  Circle  concentrated  its 
efforts  in  Philadelphia,  so  all  over  the  United  States  various  inde- 
pendent and  private  organizations  for  the  relief  of  the  soldier  came 
into  being.  The  Soldiers'  Comfort  Unit  of  the  War  Ser\dce  Center 
opened  headquarters  on  Massachusetts  Avenue,  Boston.  It  was  one 
of  the  hundreds  of  similar  organizations  made  up  of  women  who 
instinctively  rot  together  to  work  for  the  great  cause,  and  who,  with 
a  small  beginning,  found  themselves  a  part  of  a  big  work  with  possi- 
bilities only  limited  by  the  ability  to  meet  them.  In  February,  1918, 
Mrs.  H.  C.  Lewis  called  together  a  small  group  of  women  who  in  a 
week's  time  supplied  an  urgent  need  for  knitted  garments  at  New- 
port News.  From  this  beginning,  made  with  a  dozen  women,  the 
unit  grew  into  an  organization  of  a  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
women  and  eventually  connected  itself  with  the  Circle  of  Negro  War 
Relief. 

In  the  first  days  the  v/ork  was  almost  exclusively  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  soldiers,  but  before  many  months  had  passed  the  scope  of 
the  organization  had  widened  to  a  place  of  entertainment  for  the 
soldiers,  visits  to  hospitals,  visits  to  the  nearby  camp — Devens,  with 
home-made  pies  and  cakes;  liberty  sings  on  Sunday  afternoons; 
lectures  on  social  hygiene  and  special  educational  lectures ;  coopera- 
tion with  ''Company  L"  auxiliaiy,  and  with  the  Eed  Cross. 

The  officers  of  the  Soldiers'  Comfort  Unit  were:  President, 
Miss  M.  L.  Baldwin;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  C.  H.  Garland;  second 
vice-president,   Mrs.   Mary  E.   Rollins;   recording  secretary,   Mrs. 


390  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Geo.  "VV.  Torbey;  financial  secretaiy,  Mrs.  Wm.  L.  Reed;  treasurer, 
Mrs.  C.  Henry  Robbins;  executive  secretary,  Mrs.  U.  A.  Ridley. 

Executive  Committee — Mrs.  Lucy  Lewis,  Chairman;  Mrs.  Wm. 
J.  Williams,  Mrs.  Maud  Cuney  Hare,  Mrs.  Wm.  Cromwell,  Mrs. 
Geo.  B.  Lewis,  Mrs.  Amos  Mason,  Mrs.  Alice  Casneau,  Mrs.  Jas 
Hinton,  Mrs.  Agnes  Adams.  Chairman  Red  Cross,  Mrs.  A.  M. 
Gilbert;  Chairman  House  Committee,  Mrs.  Geo.  Drummond;  Chair- 
man Hospitality  Committee,  Mrs.  Nellie  Brown  Mitchell. 

After  a  year  of  work  the  Soldiers'  Comfort  Unit  found  itself 
facing  a  still  larger  field,  the  returning  soldiers  coming  from  scenes 
of  horror  and  devastation  with  problems  and  needs.  Like  all  of  the 
war  organizations  of  the  women  of  the  race,  they  found  their  work 
had  only  just  begun. 

Woman's  Auxiliary  of  the  15th  Regiment 

In  the  early  days  of  the  old  Fifteenth  New  York  Regiment,  when 
colored  men  were  volunteering  as  members  of  the  military  organi- 
zation which  was  to  become  the  first  New  York  State  Guard  com- 
posed of  colored  men,  it  occurred  to  a  thoughtful  woman  of  the  race, 
a  New  Yorker  by  birth,  that  earnest  colored  women  banded  together 
could  be  a  potent  factor  in  the  life  of  the  regiment. 

The  idea  was  carried  out,  and  the  Woman's  Auxiliary,  Fifteenth 
Regiment,  was  organized  May  2,  1917,  with  one  hundred  members. 
It  received  its  credentials  from  Colonel  AVilliam  Hayward,  May  9. 
The  first  definite  work  undertaken  was  the  investigation  of  the  cases 
of  men  whose  dependents  claimed  exemption  for  them.  This  was  an 
important  factor  in  the  perfect  recruiting  of  the  regiment  and  won 
commendation  from  the  commanding  officer  and  his  official  staff. 

It  is  the  exclusive  privilege  of  the  colored  people  to  adopt  the 
slogan,  ''No  Color  Line."  It  would  seem  a  strange  commentary  on 
the  magnanimity  of  the  American  people  to  note  that  those  who 
are  the  first  to  adopt  the  policy  of  no  discrimination  are  the  ones 
against  whom  that  discrimination  is  most  often  practiced.  We  have 
noted  how  in  every  instance  where  organizations  of  colored  women 
have  been  formed  for  War  Relief  there  is  a  definite  policy  of  "No 
Color  Line."  Now  and  then  the  fact  was  proclaimed  publicly  in 
sign  or  in  motto,  as  in  Boston  and  by  the  Josephine  Gray  Colored 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  391 

Lady  Knitters  of  Detroit,  Michigan,  who  '* knitted -for  all  American 
soldiers  regardless  of  race,  color,  or  nationality." 

Colored  Women  in  the  Loan  Drives 

But  not  only  in  the  definite  work  of  relief,  in  knitting,  sewing, 
care  of  dependents  of  soldiers  or  in  the  more  spectacular  forms  of 
Avar  work  were  the  women  engaged.  The  raising  of  the  sinews  of 
War  was  a  problem  which  the  United  States  faced.  Every  man, 
woman,  and  child  in  the  countiy  needed  to  be  taxed  to  the  utmost. 
How  to  make  the  giving  a  pleasing  privilege  rather  than  a  doleful 
duty  devolved  upon  the  women  of  the  country.  Five  Liberty  Loan 
drives,  six  Red  Cross  drives,  the  constant  Thrift  Stamp  Drive,  and 
a  tremendous  United  War  Camp  Drive,  wherein  uncountable  billions 
were  spoken  of  airily,  staggered  the  average  mind  both  in  prospect 
and  retrosi^ect.  But  Americans  learned  to  think  in  big  figures. 
Every  one  got  the  habit  of  saving;  and  the  purse-strings  of  America 
were  permanently  opened  for  the  relief  of  the  needs  of  the  nation 
and  to  aid  needy  peoples  overseas. 

This  reaction  on  the  national  conscience  is  of  inestimable  value. 
Charity  will  never  again  be  the  perfunctory  thing  that  it  was  before 
the  Great  War.  Penury  in  giving  will  be  frowmed  down  upon  as 
immoral.  And  this  quickening  of  the  national  conscience,  this  loos- 
ening of  the  national  purse,  is  due  in  no  small  measure  to  the  fervor 
and  zeal  with  which  the  women  of  the  nation  threw  themselves  into 
the  campaigns  for  filling  the  war  coffers. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  colored  women  were  foremost  in  all 
the  financial  campaigns.  The  National  Association  of  Colored 
Women  organized  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  war  to  cooperate  in 
every  way  with  the  Woman's  Council  of  Defense.  Mrs.  Philip  North 
Moore,  President  of  the  National  Council  of  Women,  says,  *'No 
women  worked  harder  than  the  women  of  the  National  Association 
of  Colored  Women." 

Mrs.  Mary  B.  Talbert,  President  of  the  National  Association 
of  Colored  Women,  which  has  a  membership  of  a  hundred  thousand, 
is  authority  for  the  statement  that  in  the  Third  Liberty  Loan  the 
colored  women  of  the  United  States  raised  about  five  million  dollars. 
Savannah,  Georgia,  alone  raised  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars.  Poor 
colored  w^omen  in  a  tobacco  factory  of  Norfolk,  Virginia,  subscribed 


392  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

ninety-one   thousand    dollars.     Macon,    Georgia,    subscribed    about 
twenty  thousand. 

The  National  War  Savings  Committee  appointed  colored  women 
to  conduct  campaig-ns  for  the  War  Savings  Committee.  One  of  the 
most  notable  of  these  appointments  by  the  Secretaiy  of  the  Treasury 
was  that  of  Mrs.  Laura  Brown,  of  Pittsburgh.  She  m.aintained  an 
office  from  which  whirlwind  campaigns  emanated,  and  set  a  standard 
of  efficiency  of  organization  not  easily  equaled. 

War  Work  Among  Negro  Children 

One  of  the  most  effective  ways  of  reaching  the  people  of  any 
community  is  through  the  children.  Hence  the  work  of  the  colored 
teachers  in  reaching  the  race  through  the  children  under  their  care, 
has  been  in  the  highest  degTee  effectual.  Throughout  the  South,  in 
the  middle  Atlantic  states  in  which  there  is  a  separate  school  system, 
in  the  Middle  West,  and  in  the  Southwest;  in  public  schools,  in 
endowed  institutions,  in  colleges — in  short  wherever  colored  teachers 
are  employed  to  teach  colored  children,  there  was  a  constant  and 
beneficial  influence  being  exerted  in  the  entire  race  through  its  cliil 
dren.  This  influence  made  for  loyalty,  patriotism  unquestioning  and 
devoted;  and  particularly  did  this  influence  raise  the  quota  of  the 
race's  contribution  to  the  National  war  chest.  Colored  schools 
taught  by  colored  teachers  sent  in  every  com.munity  a  pro  rata  to 
the  Thrift  Stamp,  Eed  Cross,  United  War  Campaign,  and  Liberty 
Loans  in  considerable  excess  of  the  natural  percentage.  It  would 
have  been  easy  to  have  failed  just  here  with  the  children;  it  was 
difficult  in  many  communities  to  overcome  the  natural  obstacles.  But 
they  were  overcome.  The  amounts  raised  in  all  National  drives 
through  the  colored  women  teachers  working  with  their  children,  are 
a  monumental  credit  to  the  women  of  the  race. 

The  Negro  Exodus  of  1917-18 

Such  a  move  as  this  was  more  important  than  appears  on  the 
face  of  the  bald  statement  of  the  fact.  In  the  Northern  cities  directly 
affected  by  the  exodus  of  Southern  Negroes  in  1917  and  1918,  a  by- 
product of  the  war,  there  was  suffering,  intense  and  widespread, 
among  the  Negroes  suddenly  thnist  into  a  climate  and  conditions 
for  which  their  life  in  the  South  had  given  them  no  preparation. 
Some  cities,  notably  Detroit,  met  the  situation  with  a  whole-hearted 


NEGRO  WO:\rEN  IN  WAR  WORK  393 

desire  on  the  part  of  the  civic  authorities  to  cope  with  the  condition 
correctly  and  humanely.  Other  cities  lamented  the  influx  into  their 
borders,  and  let  the  new  population  shift  for  itself  as  best  it  could, 
resulting  in  a  pitiful  increase  of  the  death  rate  in  pneumonia.  The 
unprecedentedly  hard  winter  of  1917-1918  was  trying  even  to  those 
inured  to  the  rigors  of  a  Northern  winter.  Some  cities  drove  out 
the  invaders,  or  made  conditions  so  uncomfortable  that  they  drifted 
away,  or  suffered  in  silence.  In  other  cases,  notably  Chester,  Penn- 
sylvania, the  colored  women  of  the  city  took  the  matter  in  their  own 
hands,  and  saved  as  best  they  could  the  pitiful  strugglers  in  their 
search  for  homes  and  work. 

The  tide  of  migration  swept  northward,  and  broke  in  a  huge 
wave,  beginning  at  Chester,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  East,  St.  Louis  and 
East  St.  Louis  in  the  Middle  West,  and  Los  Angeles  in  the  West,  the 
crest  of  the  wave  breaking  in  Philadelphia,  Detroit  and  Chicago.  It 
was  a  situation  which  the  war  had  inevitably  brought  about — the 
increase  in  munition  plants  and  shipyards,  with  their  need  for  more 
help,  and  consequent  high  wages;  it  was  helped  by  nature — the  boll- 
weevil  devastating  the  little  which  the  Southern  laborers  owned  in 
cotton-field  and  home;  it  was  fostered  by  the  growing  unrest  and 
bitterness  due  to  lack  of  economic  and  educational  opportunities  and 
to  injustice  dealt  at  home.  When  the  true  history  of  the  great 
Negro  Exodus  of  1917-1918  shall  be  written,  it  will  prove  as  fasci- 
nating and  as  peculiar  in  its  psychological  ramifications  as  the  story 
of  the  Exodus  from  Egypt. 

Not  tlie  least  interesting  and  splendid  is  the  part  played  by  the 
colored  women  in  those  cities  where  the  crest  of  the  wave  broke. 
Hunger  and  privation,  even  in  the  face  of  the  big  wages  paid  by  the 
huge  war  plants,  stared  the  newcomers  in  the  face,  for  there  was  not 
always  work  enough,  and  illness  laid  off  many  of  those  who  had 
made  places  for  themselves  in  the  industrial  elysium.  The  housing 
conditions,  or  rather  the  lack  of  them,  constitute  one  of  the  blackest 
chapters  in  the  history  of  the  movement.  Here  is  where  the  Chris- 
tian fortitude  and  love  of  the  colored  women  who  lived  in  those  cities 
shine  forth  resplendently.  They  gave  up  their  own  homes  to  the 
newcomers;  they  endured  discomforts  and  inconveniences  to  help 
the  women  thus  pitifully  thrust  into  these  adverse  conditions ;  they 
taught  the  women  from  the  South  the  art  of  coping  with  the  northern 


394  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

climate;  they  nursed  them  when  the  inevitable  sickness  broke  out; 
they  gave  them  warm  clothing  and  taught  them  how  to  spend  money 
to  the  best  advantage  in  purchasing  suitable  clothes  and  proper 
food;  they  took  women  and  children  into  their  homes,  and  helped 
them  in  ways  that  only  women  understand  how  to  help  each  other. 
Maintaining  the  Negro  Morale 

Eumors,  many  and  various,  of  the  disaffection  of  the  Negro,  of 
his  lack  of  patriotism,  of  the  influence  upon  him  of  so-called  German 
propaganda,  of  the  need  of  stimulating  his  patriotic  fervor,  swept 
through  the  country  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1918.  Just  how 
much  of  this  so-called  propaganda  was  German,  and  how  much 
American,  and  how  much  of  it  rumors  which  had  their  rise  in  hys- 
terical fear,  it  is  not  given  us  to  know.  Why  there  was  a  loss  of 
patriotic  interest  in  certain  localities  was  not  hard  to  discover. 
Here  and  there  studied  indifference  on  the  part  of  certain  organiza- 
tions toward  the  well-meant  efforts  of  the  colored  women  in  attempt- 
ing to  help  in  war  relief;  labor  conditions;  the  old,  old  stories  of 
prejudice  and  growing  bitterness  in  the  labor  situation;  rumors  of 
increased  lynching  activities — from  all  these  a  lukewarmness  towards 
the  conduct  of  the  war  had  grown  up  in  various  cities.  And  it  was 
here  again  that  the  women  met  a  difficult  problem  and  helped  to 
solve  it. 

Again  we  look  to  the  army  of  women  teachers,  and  their 
subtle  and  pervasive  influence  over  the  youth  of  the  race,  and 
through  children  over  their  parents.  It  w^ould  be  difficult  to  measure 
the  service  of  these  women  in  this  particular  direction. 

Here  and  there,  however,  there  was  a  more  spectacular  ap- 
peal made  to  the  patriotic  emotions  of  the  race  through  pageants, 
demonstrations,  or  mass  meetings.  In  some  cases,  the  schools 
through  school  pageants  and  plays  appealed  directly  to  the  patriotic 
emotions;  plays  written  by  Negro  authors  were  staged,  commence- 
ment exercises  became  rallying  grounds  of  calls  to  the  warmth 
of  the  race  in  its  love  for  the  nation. 

Colored  Women  in  War  Industries 

War  has  a  way  of  forcing  expedients.  From  1914  until  No- 
vember, 1918,  the  economic  balance  of  the  nation  was  sadly  upset, 
first  by  the  stopping  of  the  tide  of  immigration  from  Europe, 
secojid  by  the   exodus   of  the  Negro   to   the  North,   third  by  the 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IX  WAR  WORK  305 

drastic  sweep  of  the  draft  law.  The  first  opened  the  door  of 
opportunity  to  the  Negro  laborer,  the  second  depleted  the  fields 
of  the  South,  the  third  plunged  the  colored  woman  pell-mell  into 
the  industrial  world — an  entirely  new  place  for  her. 

''For  generations  colored  women  have  been  working  in  the 
fields  of  the  South.  They  have  been  the  domestic  servants  of 
botli  the  South  and  the  North,  accepting  the  positions  of  personal 
service  open  to  them.  Hard  work  and  unpleasant  work  has  been 
their  lot,  but  they  have  been  almost  entirely  excluded  from  our 
shops  and  factories.  Tradition  and  race  prejudice  have  played 
the  largest  part  in  their  exclusion.  The  tardy  development  of  the 
South  and  the  failure  of  the  colored  woman  to  demand  industrial 
opportunities  have  added  further  values.  Clearly,  also,  two  hun- 
dred years  of  slavery  and  fifty  years  of  industrial  boycott  in  both 
the  Nqrth  and  the  South,  following  the  Civil  War,  have  done  little 
to  encourage  or  to  develop  industrial  aptitudes.  For  these  reasons, 
the  colored  women  have  not  entered  the  ranks  of  the  industrial 
army  in  the  past." 

But  war  expediency,  for  a  time  at  least,  partially  opened  the 
door  of  industry  to  them.  It  was  an  experiment  and  like  all  ex- 
periments, it  fell  against  problems,  and  those  problems  were  met 
by  the  earnest  consideration  of  several  agencies.  We  have  already 
spoken  of  the  splendid  work  of  this  department  of  the  Young 
Women's  Christian  Association,  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Mary 
E.  Jackson  of  Providence,  Ehode  Island.  In  June,  1918,  a  joint 
committee  was  formed  in  New  York  to  study  the  employment  of 
colored  women  in  that  city  and  its  environs.  Serving  on  that 
committee  were  representatives  from  practically  all  the  philan- 
thropic organizations  in  the  city,  and  the  result  of  its  labors  through 
two  investigators,  Mrs.  Gertrude  McDougald  (colored)  and  Miss 
Jesse  Clarke  (white),  were  given  publicity  in  an  interesting  pam- 
phlet, from  which  the  above  paragraph  was  quoted.  It  is  a 
significant  fact  that  the  colored  woman  in  industry  in  a  short 
time  had  reached  the  point  where  she  merited  trained  investiga- 
tion. 

''Come  out  of  the  kitchen,  Mary,"  was  the  slogan  of  the 
colored  woman  in  war  time.  She  doffed  her  cap  and  apron  and 
donned  her  overalls.  Some  States,  such  as  Maryland  and  Florida, 
specialized  in  courses  in  motor  mechanics  and  automobile  driving. 


396  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  munition  factories  took  the  girls  in  gladly.  Grim  statistics 
prove  that  their  scale  of  wages  was  definitely  lower  than  a  man's 
doing  the  same  work,  and  sad  to  say  a  considerable  fraction  below 
that  of  white  girls  in  the  same  service,  although  Delaware  reports 
some  very  high-priced,  skilled  ammunition  testers,  averaging  seven 
to  twelve  dollars  a  day.  The  colored  girls  blossomed  out  as  switch- 
board operators,  stock  takers,  wrappers,  elevator  operators,  sub- 
way porters,  ticket  choppers,  track-walkers,  trained  signallers, 
yard-walkers.  They  went  into  every  possible  kind  of  factory  de- 
voted to  the  production  of  war  materials,  from  the  most  dangerous 
posts  in  munition  plants  to  the  delicate  searing  in  aeroplane  fac- 
tories. Colored  girls  and  colored  women  drove  motor  trucks,  un- 
loaded freight  cars,  dug  ditches,  handled  hardware  around  ship- 
ways  and  hardware  houses,  packed  boxes.  They  struggled  with 
the  discomforts  of  ice  and  fertilizing  plants.  They  learaed  th^ 
delicate  intricacies  of  all  kinds  of  machines,  and  the  colored 
Avoman  running  the  elevator  or  speeding  a  railroad  on  its  way  by 
signals  was  a  common  sight. 

Just  what  the  effect  of  this  marvelous  influx  of  colored  women 
into  the  industrial  world  would  have  upon  the  race  was  a  problem 
viewed  with  considerable  interest.  Pessimists  predicted  a  socio- 
logical and  psychological  upheaval  in  the  ranks  of  the  women 
of  the  race.  A  strange  thing  about  it  was  that  there  was  no 
perceptible  racial  disintegration  and  the  colored  women  bore 
their  changed  status  and  higher  economic  independence  with  m.uch 
more  equanimity  than  white  women  on  a  corresponding  scale  of 
living.  The  reason  for  this  may  perhaps  be  found  in  the  fact 
that  the  colored  woman  had  a  heritage  of  300  years  of  work  back 
of  her.  Her  children  were  used  to  being  left  to  shift  for  them- 
selves; her  home  was  used  to  being  cared  for  after  sundo^vn.  The 
careful  supersdsion  of  the  War  Work  Council  and  the  Council  of 
Defense  over  the  health  and  hours  of  the  woman  in  industry 
averted  the  cataclysm  of  lowered  vitality  and  eventual  unfitness  for 
maternity. 

The  possible  economic  effect  of  this  entrance  into  the  unknown 
fields  of  industry  on  the  part  of  the  colored  woman  will  be  that 
when  pre-war  conditions  return  and  she  is  displaced  by  men  and 
is  forced  to  make  her  way  back  into  domestic  service,  the  latter 
will  be  placed  on  a  strictly  business   basis  and  the  vocation   of 


NEGRO  WOMEN  IN  WAR  WORK  397 

is  forced  to  make  her  way  back  into  domestic  service,  the  latter 
will  be  placed  on  a  strictly  business  basis  and  the  vocation  of 
housekeeping  and  home-making  will  be  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a 
profession. 

We  have  touched  lightly  the  Negro  woman  in  the  world  war. 
Lightly  perforce,  because  of  her  innate  modesty  and  reticent  care- 
lessness in  proclaiming  her  own  good  deeds.  She  emerges  from 
the  war  more  serious-minded,  more  responsible,  with  a  higher 
opinion  of  her  own  economic  importance;  with  a  distinct  and 
definite  aim  and  ambition  to  devote  her  life  to  the  furthering  of 
the  cause  for  which  her  men  died  on  Flanders  fields.  She  has 
served  the  Red  Cross  at  home  and  begged  to  serve  it  abroad;  she 
has  probed  to  the  depths  the  real  meaning  of  the  word  Christianity ; 
she  has  formed  a  second  line  of  defense  at  home;  she  has  learned 
the  real  value  of  community  service,  and  what  it  means  to  give  of 
her  time,  means,  and  smiles  to  the  weary  soldiers  passing  through 
her  town;  she  has  organized  special  circles  of  war  relief  on  her 
own  initiative,  and  given  all  that  she  could  afford,  from  the  homely 
apple  and  sandwich  and  cigarette  to  an  ambulance  for  service 
overseas. 

She  has  given  regally,  munificently  of  her  little  to  help  fill 
the  national  war  chest,  and  when  there  was  no  more  in  her  slender 
purse  she  has  given  her  time  and  persuasiveness  to  induce  others 
to  follow  her  example.  She  has  endowed  and  maintained  Hostess 
Houses  and  helped  support  the  wives  and  children  of  the  men  in 
service.  When  disaffection  threatened,  she  fostered  patriotism 
and  overcame  propaganda  with  simple  splendid  loyalty.  She  gave 
up  ease  and  clear  skies  for  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  death- 
dealing  labor.  She  shut  her  eyes  to  past  wrongs  and  present 
discomforts  and  future  uncertainties.  She  stood  large-hearted, 
strong-handed,  clear-minded,  splendidly  capable,  and  did,  not  her 
bit,  but  her  best,  and  the  world  is  better  for  her  work  and  her 
worth. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

SOCIAL  WELFARE  AGENCIES 

Important  Welfare  Work  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion and  Other  Organised  Bodies — Negro  Secretaries  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A. — The  Problem  of  Illiteracy  in  the  Camps — The 
Social  Secretaries — Results  of  Education — The  Y.  W.  C.  A. 
Hostess  Houses — The  Knights  of  Columbus — Caring  for  Re- 
turned Soldiers. 

Prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  war  it  was  a  well-established  fact 
that  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  the  Young  AVomen's 
Christian  Association,  the  Red  Cross,  and  other  organized  bodies 
primarily  concerned  with  the  welfare  of  people  in  general,  had 
figured  so  largely  in  the  life  of  the  young  men  prior  to  their  call 
to  arms  that  something  should  be  done  to  enable  these  agencies  to 
throw  around  them  the  same  influences  under  which  they  came 
when  at  home.  One  of  the  first  efforts,  therefore,  to  provide  for 
the  social  betterment  of  the  men  under  arms  was  to  connect  these 
movements  officially  with  the  Government,  that  they  might  func- 
tion efficiently  in  caring  for  the  soldiers  at  the  front.  It  was 
observed  that  the  social  welfare  organizations  could  adapt  them- 
selves as  successfully  to  the  needs  of  men  in  times  of  war  as  in 
times  of  peace.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war  the  War  Work  Coun- 
cil declared  that  the  same  thing  done  for  white  men  would  be  done 
for  colored  men  when  in  the  various  cantonments,  and  while  it 
has  been  difficult  to  carry  out  this  letter  of  the  law,  for  many 
reasons  too  tedious  to  be  mentioned.  Dr.  J.  E.  Moorland,  the 
Senior  Secretary  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  in 
charge  of  colored  men's  work,  believes  that  the  Negro  has  come 
more  nearly  to  receiving  a  square  deal  in  this  instance  than  in 
anything  else  in  the  history  of  the  country. 

When  the  unusual  appeal  was  made  to  the  American  people, 
adequate  funds  were  raised  to  finance  the  work  of  the  welfare 
organizations.     Nearer  to  the  end  of  hostilities,  however,  when  a 

398 


SOCIAL  WELFARE  AGENCIES  399 

more  systematic  effort  for  financing  all  of  these  social  organizations 
had  to  be  made,  the  Govermnent  provided  that  all  such  agencies 
should  be  absorbed  by  the  seven  recognized  groups,  and  a  national 
drive  for  $170,000,000  was  made  by  these  organizations,  resulting 
in  raising  the  desired  amount.  They  were  therefore  at  an  early 
period  in  a  position  to  construct  successful  machinery  for  the 
training  of  social  workers  to  supply  these  needs  throughout  the 
camps  in  this  country  and  among  the  soldiers  overseas.  While  it 
must  be  admitted  that  it  was  impossible  to  choose  upon  such  short 
notice  persons  who  met  in  every  way  the  requirements  for  this 
unusual  task,  the  personnel  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion staff  so  far  as  the  colored  workers  were  concerned  were  of  a 
high  class. 

At  the  head  of  this  staff,  to  select  and  equip  for  this  unusual 
service  the  numerous  secretaries  needed  in  the  camps  and  canton- 
ments, was  Dr.  J.  E.  Moorland,  Senior  Secretary  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association.  Associated  with  him  was  Mr.  Robert 
B.  DeFrantz,  visiting  secretary  of  the  Des  Moines  camp,  and 
formerly  engaged  in  the  work  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  There 
were  also  the  placement  secretaries,  Mr.  AVilliam  J.  Faulkner 
and  Mr.  Max  Yergan,  who  after  his  return  from  Africa,  assisted 
in  recruiting  men;  Professor  Charles  H.  Wesley  of  Howard  Uni- 
versity doing  similar  work.  J.  Francis  Gregory  and  George  L. 
Johnson,  two  specialists  in  religious  work,  were  later  added. 
The  former  directed  his  efforts  toward  the  religious  life  of  the 
men  in  the  camps,  while  the  latter,  a  noted  tenor,  rendered  valuable 
service  with  his  singing. 

Negro  Secretaries  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A, 

At  the  beginning  of  the  War  Work  Council  it  was  decided  to 
send  Negro  secretaries  to  care  for  troops  of  their  own  race.  There 
were  fifty-five  centers  or  groups  in  Army  camps  with  Association 
privileges,  served  by  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight  secretaries  in 
the  home  camps  and  forty-nine  secretaries  serving  overseas.  The 
grand  total  of  all  colored  secretaries  w^as  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
one.  The  buildings  in  which  these  secretaries  worked  were  twenty- 
five  "E"  type  and  National  Guard  buildings.  The  other  centers 
were  housed  in  barracks,  mess  halls,  and  tents. 


400  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

''Tills  work,  too,"  according  to  Dr.  J.  E.  Moorland,  its  moving 
spirit,  ''was  not  a  haphazard  one.  It  had  a  definite  purpose, 
promoted  by  carefully  selected  specialists.  To  be  more  explicit, 
it  is  well  to  describe  a  staff  organization  which  is  responsible  for 
the  work  in  a  building.  It  is  composed  of  a  building  secretary, 
who  is  the  executive;  a  religious  work  secretary,  who  has  charge  of 
the  religious  activities,  including  personal  work  among  the  soldiers, 
Bible  class  and  religious  meetings;  an  educational  secretary, 
who  promotes  lectures  and  educational  classes,  and  uses  whatever 
means  he  may  have  at  hand  to  encourage  intellectual  develop- 
ment; a  physical  secretary,  who  has  charge  of  athletics  and  various 
activities  for  the  physical  welfare  of  the  soldiers,  works  in  the 
closest  relationship  with  the  military  officers  and  is  often  made 
responsible  for  all  of  the  physical  activities  in  the  camp;  a  social 
secretary,  who  promotes  the  social  activities,  including  entertain- 
ments, "stunts"  and  moving  pictures;  a  business  secretary,  who 
keeps  close  tab  on  the  sale  of  stamps,  postcards,  and  such  supplies 
as  may  be  handled  by  the  Association,  and  is  held  responsible  for 
the  proper  accounting  of  finances.  In  every  case  these  secretaries 
were  thoroughly  investigated  before  being  appointed  and  were 
required  to  be  members  of  evangelical  churches  in  good  standing, 
and  men  capable  of  commanding  the  respect  of  the  soldiers  with 
whom  they  work. 

The  Problem  of  Illiteracy 

'  The  large  number  of  illiterates  who  were  brought  into  the 
various  camps  of  the  country  brought  with  them  a  tremendous 
problem.  Many  of  them  could  not  sign  the  payroll.  Some  of 
them  did  not  know  the  light  from  the  left  hand,  and  not  a  few 
were  not  sure  about  their  names.  The  Association  was  able  to 
solve  this  problem  by  teaching  thousands  of  men  to  read  and  write 
their  names.  Some  men  after  having  learned  to  write  their 
names,"  says  Dr.  Moorland,  "have  actually  shouted  for  joy  over 
the  new-found  power  which  at  last  had  released  them  from  the 
shackles  of  an  oppressive  ignorance.  Speakers  of  both  races 
have  inspired  the  men  and  enlarged  their  vision.  Many  men  with 
a  better  educational  equipment  have  increased  their  talent«  by 
sober  thinking  along  with  pui-poseful  program-s  of  reading. 


Above — Colored    Women    War    Workers    of    the    Yoiins'    Women's    Christian    Association    at 

Hostess   House,   Camp   Upton,   Long"   Island. 
Beloiv — Colored    American    Red    Cross    Canteen    War    Workers    who    canteened    all    Colored 

soldier  troop   trains   passing-  through  Chicago  to  and  from   the   front. 
First   Row    Left    to    Right — Mrs.    Eva    Jenifer,    Captain    Dr.    Mary    Fitzbutler    Waring,    Mrs. 

DeWitt    Smith. 
Second  Row  Left  to  Right — Lieut.  Hattie  Oldham,  Mrs.  Sadie  Anderson,   Mrs.   Helen  Thorne, 

Mrs.  Juanita  Hawkins,  Mrs.  Mary  Wickliffe,  Mrs.  Lillian  Gully,  Lieut.   Mayme  Haddox. 
Dr.  Mary  Fitzbutler  Waring  is  also  Chairman  of  the  Col.  Denlson  Red  Cross  Auxiliary,  and 

Chairman  of  Red  Cross  Work  of  the  Colored  Women's  Clubs  of  the   U.   S. 


Above — Negro  American  Red  Cross  Workers  of  the   IJyhalia  Colored  Auxiliary  of  northern 

Mississippi   where  nej;roes  outnumber  the  whites   five   to   one. 
Below — Colored    boys    on    troop    train    passing    through    New    Orleans    to    training-    camps 

being    served   with    cholocates   and   cigarettes    by    Colored   Auxiliary    of   American    Red 

Cross.  y 


Top.    Left    to    Risht— 1st  Lt.   Ewell    W.    Olaik.-,    Asst.    rersonnrl     \diutant   Hdq     Staff     9-nd 

Uiv.      1st    l.t.    Almando    Henderson,    367th    Inf.      1st    I.t.    F.    S.    Lpshur.    3o0th    !• .    -\- 
Center    Left    to    Risht — 2nd    Lt.    H.    D.    Haideway.    367th    Inf.      Capt.    Aaron    Day,    Ji.,    317th 

Am.    Tr.      2.nA    Lt.    A.    M.    Watson,    350th    Mchn.    Gun    Bat.      ^    ^  ^     „,        t.    ^      ^        ,cctv. 
Below.   Left   to   Risht— 2nd   Lt.    Scott  A.    Moyer,    349th    F.   A.;    2nd   Lt.    Wm.    F.   Grady.    368tli 

Inf.,  and  2nd  Lt.  Walter  W.  Scott,  368th   Inf.,  who  was  gassed  at  the  Argonne  Foiest 

In   an   attack   on   Binarville. 


Above — Colored  messengers  of  Motoicycle  Corps,  oTl'nd  Headquarters,  who  kept  com- 
munication lines  alive  at  all  hours  during-  the  big  drive  in  Champagne,  Arg^onne  and 
at  Verdun. 

Below — American  White  and  Negro  soldiers  being  served  to  chocolate  and  sandwich  rolls 
in  canteen  established  in  basement  of  American  Red  Cross  Bureau  of  Refugees  at 
Toulouse. 


'I 


(fer- 


^^  ■'f  *i: 


Aboil- — i:<ii  li  |i  'i  -  ■'•  lii.  :tjni|  iNxision  near  a  rnacisitip  li-ading  nut  <if  Pf'nt-a-Mdlisson 
to  Metz.  Here  are  laid  to  rest  those  who  fell  in  the  operacions  against  Metz  and 
those   who  died   of   sickness  during  that   period. 

Beloiv—A  wayside  chinch  near  the  fi-ont  lines  in  a  French  sector  occupied  by  American 
Negro  Soldiers. 


OVKRSEAS    SECRETARIES    OF    THE    YOUNG    MEN'S    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION. 
Left    Top — E.   L.    Snyder.      Left  Center — J.   A.   Croon.      Belotc — Moses  A.    Davis 
Center   Toj} — Group  of   "Y"   Secretaries  ready  to  sail   for  France. 
Below — B.   F.   Seldon  behind  the  lines   in  France  just  emerging^  from   the   trip   through   the 

trenches. 
Right,  at  top — Thos.  M.  Clayton.     Ric/Jit  GeJitej-— Gary  Ward  Moore.     Belotc — G.  AV    Jackson 
All    the   above   overseas   Y.   M.    C.    A.    Secretaries   are    well    known    to    the   American   Nesro 

Soldiers  who  served  overseas. 


Above — "llig  Niuis"  of"  the  old  IJattalion.  366th  Iiilantry.  who  found  great  aniusenient  in 
contemplating'  the  gi'otesque  appearance  of  his  comi'ade  with  a  gas  mask  adjusted 
over  his  face  and  head.  Many  liours  of  gloom  was  dispelled  by  the  good  humor  of 
Nims  which  together  with  his  unquestionable  courag'e  at  many  times  served  to  cheei- 
the   flagging    spirits   of   his   comrades. 

Below — Group  of  Negro  Soldiers  behind  the  lines  being  instructed  in  approved  methods 
of  using   gas  masks  before  going  forwaid  to  the  trenches. 


SOCIAL  WELFARE  AGENCIES  4(tt 

"The  religion  of  the  soldiers  was  not  neglected.  Hundreds 
of  Bible  classes  were  conducted  and  religious  meetings  with  pur- 
pose were  largely  attended.  The  best  of  both  races  have  been  able 
to  give  encouragement  and  helpful  messages  to  the  men,  many  of 
whom  have  had  their  faith  strengthened;  many  others  for  the 
first  time  in  their  lives  accepted  the  Christian  faith.  The  effort 
was  to  give  a  religious  program  adapted  to  the  lives  of  the  men 
and  enable  them  to  go  overseas  and  come  back  fit  to  look  mother, 
wife,  sister,  and  sweetheart  in  the  face  and  not  be  ashamed. 

''The  emphasis,  however,  was  placed  upon  life,  and  speakers 
were  requested  to  avoid  emphasizing  death.  Although  the  training 
in  the  army  camps  is  physical  development  to  a  very  marked  de- 
gree, it  was  soon  learned  that  there  must  be  a  recreational  side. 
The  physical  director  had  to  meet  this  need  to  prevent  men  from 
becoming  sullen  and  morose.  Baseball  teams,  football  teams,  box- 
ing and  all  sorts  of  recreational  games  were  staged.  These  proved 
to  be  as  essential  in  the  matter  of  self-defense  as  lectures  and 
private  talks  on  health  and  the  protection  of  the  body  against 
the  ravages  of  every  form  of  vice." 

Work  of  the  Social  Secretaries 

The  social  secretaries  rendered  no  less  a  service  than  the 
other  workers.  In  providing  programs  for  the  entertainment 
of  the  men,  in  presenting  interesting  moving  pictures,  in  utilizing 
the  talent  of  various  communities  near  the  camps  for  the  needs 
of  the  men  in  camps,  they  accomplished  a  task  which  in  the  past 
had  seemed  impossible.  The  social  secretary,  moreover,  enabled 
these  men  to  entertain  themselves.  The  Selective  Draft  brought 
together  men  of  all  grades,  from  the  most  illiterate  to  the  highly 
trained  university  graduate,  messing  together  side  by  side  daily. 
Men  who  had  lived  in  the  atmosphere  of  vice  and  those  who  had 
been  trained  in  the  best  Christian  homes  were  thrown  together  in 
a  common  cause,  wearing  the  same  uniform,  obeying  the  same 
orders.  In  this  great  mass  the  social  secretary  discovered  remark- 
able talent,  which  was  able  to  provide  entertainment  for  the 
soldiers  in  the  camps  and  at  certain  times  for  the  people  outside 
the  camps. 


402  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

According  to  Dr.  Moorland,  the  letters  of  appreciation  re- 
ceived from  many  of  the  soldiers  for  the  serAdce  rendered  by  these 
faithful  secretaries  sound  like  a  new  edition  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  **Not  only  in  France  are  our  men  serving.  We  also 
have  secretaries  in  East  Africa,  working  with  natives  and  British 
troops,  and  their  story  is  that  of  pioneers  laying  foundations  as 
Christian  statesmen  for  the  building  of  future  manhood  in  that 
great  continent;  for  they  are  serving  men  representing  tribes  from 
all  parts  of  the  continent  of  Africa,  and  these  men  are  learning 
what  unselfish  service  means  as  well  as,  in  many  cases,  learning  to 
read  and  w^rite  in  the  little  evening  schools  provided  for  them." 

There  were  thirty-nine  official  directors,  giving  their  entire 
attention  to  directing  recreational  acti^dties  and  thirty  secretaries 
who  served  as  song  leaders.  There  were  six  or  more  secretaries, 
physical  and  social  directors,  however,  to  do  recreational  work  and 
direct  singing.  It  has  been  estimated  that  two  million  men  attended 
these  various  centers  for  Negro  soldiers  every  month;  that  there 
were  two  hundred  lectures  with  an  attendance  of  eighty  a  month; 
ten  thousand  Scriptures  circulated  every  month;  nine  thousand 
personal  interviews;  seven  thousand  Christian  decisions;  eleven 
thousand  war  roll  singers;  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand 
taking  part  in  physical  activities;  five  hundred  motion  picture 
exhibitions  with  an  attendance  of  three  hundred  thousand ;  1,250,000 
letters  written,  and  $110,000  worth  of  money  orders  sold. 

Important  Results  of  Education 

Out  of  such  unusual  efforts  to  educate,  in  fact  to  remake,  the 
enlisted  man,  came  important  results.  The  Negro  soldier  was 
brought,  so  to  speak,  from  a  sequestered  vale  into  the  broad  light 
of  modern  times,  where  various  agencies  which  have  constituted  a 
leverage  in  the  elevation  of  men  gave  him  during  these  few  months 
more  opportunity  for  mental  improvement  than  he  had  experienced 
during  the  other  part  of  his  life.  Thousands  of  men  were  not  only 
taught  to  read  and  write,  but  also  formed  the  habit  of  reading  good 
books,  which  in  a  short  time  showed  results  in  the  appreciation  of 
higher  ideals  and  in  giving  them  a  more  intelligent  attitude 
toward  life.  These  agencies,  too,  operating  among  the  whites 
and  the  blacks   equally  deficient   in   education   during  their  early 


SOCIAL  WELFARE  AGENCIES  403 

careers,  tended  to  promote  better  relationship  between  the  race.s 
and  as  a  result  to  produce  a  higher  class  of  men. 

The  record  of  these  secretaries  was  highly  commendable.  First 
among  those  to  attain  recognition  was  Dr.  Geo.  W.  Cabaniss,  of 
Washing-ton,  D.  C,  known  for  a  long  time  as  the  dean  of  the 
colored  secretaries,  a  man  who  had  much  to  do  with  making  pos- 
sible the  camp  for  the  training  of  the  colored  officers  at  Fort 
Des  Moines;  and  who  after  the  camp  had  been  provided  went  into 
the  service  with  them  to  serve  these  young  men  as  a  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
secretary.  Returning  home  after  they  were  commissioned,  Dr. 
Cabaniss  abandoned  his  lucrative  practice  in  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton and  went  to  Camp  Meade  to  serve  as  a  secretary  at  one  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  huts.  Being  a  Christian  gentleman,  Dr.  Cabaniss 
was  especially  anxious  to  look  after  the  morals  of  the  young  men, 
and  in  the  end  he  was  glad  to  report  that  the  habits  in  general  of 
the  men  who  came  under  his  supervision  were  of  a  very  high 
order,  and  that  they  exhibited  evidences  of  being  men  who  would 
make  good  at  the  front.  Among  those  who  won  distinction  in 
reaching  men  may  also  be  mentioned  Matthew  W.  Bullock,  William 
Stevenson,  and  J.  C.  Wright. 

Distinguished  Service  of  Supervisors 

Some  mention  should  be  made  also  of  those  men  of  color  who 
although  Y.  M.  C.  A.  workers  went  to  France  for  supervision,  to 
render  a  larger  service  than  that  of  the  average  social  worker. 
Among  them  were  Mr.  Max  Yergan,  President  John  Hope  of 
Morehouse  College,  and  Dr.  H.  H.  Proctor  of  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Church,  Atlanta,  Georgia.  Mr.  Max  Yergan  had  already 
rendered  distinguished  service  as  an  earnest  worker  among  the 
British  troops  of  color  in  Africa.  His  work  in  France,  like  that 
of  President  Hope,  was  largely  that  of  a  field  secretary  to  consider 
cases  of  friction,  discipline,  and  general  difficulty  and  to  administer 
affairs  which  could  not  be  attended  to  by  the  staff  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic.  It  was  only  late  in  the  war  that  Dr.  Proctor  answered 
the  call  to  engage  in  this  same  work.  These  gentlemen,  in  mani- 
festing a  spirit  of  sacrifice  and  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
men  at  the  front,  not  only  exhibited  examples  worthy  of  emulation, 
but  rendered  the  race  and  the  country  a  distinguished  service. 


404  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

The  Y.  W.  C.  A.  Hostess  Houses 

The  work  had  not  gone  forward  very  far  when  the  peculiar 
need  for  a  plan  by  which  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the  enlisted 
men  might  visit  them  at  camp  necessitated  the  bringing  in  of 
women  as  Y.  W.  C.  A.  workers.  It  was  accordingly  provided  that 
each  of  these  camps,  wherever  practicable,  should  have  hostess 
houses,  to  be  placed  in  charge  of  a  woman  of  honor.  The  hostess 
house  was  a  means  of  communication  between  the  enlisted  men 
and  their  relatives.  Here  the  sweetheart  came  to  say  goodbye  to 
her  loved  one,  the  wife  to  see  her  husband  for  the  last  time,  and 
the  mother  to  bid  her  son  farewell.  The  Y.  W.  C.  A.  maintained  a 
colored  hostess  house  in  every  camp  where  there  were  colored 
soldiers,  the  plan  being  the  same  as  that  for  the  white  soldiers. 
The  official  report  states  that  these  houses  "are  not  only  hospi- 
tality centers,  but  also  demonstrations  to  visitors  of  the  best  ways 
of  entertaining  and  of  serv^ing  food.  Many  men  and  women  are 
here  first  brought  in  contact  with  high  yet  simple  standards  of 
social  intercourse.  Each  house  is  a  training  center  for  new  colored 
social  workers." 

The  heads  of  these  houses  are  among  the  best  known  women  of 
the  race,  many  of  whom  have  been  doing  social  work  of  a  high 
type  among  their  people  for  years.  The  need  for  such  women,  of 
course,  was  experienced  abroad,  but  there  was  much  objection  to 
the  sending  of  women  of  color  to  the  front,  just  as  there  had  been 
in  the  case  of  barring  them  from  the  Red  Cross  units.  In  the 
course  of  time,  however,  this  prejudice  was  overcome  and  it  was 
possible  to  send  a  number  of  women  of  color  to  serve  in  the 
hostess  houses  in  France.  The  first  of  these  to  sail  was  Mrs. 
Helen  Noble  Curtis  of  New  York,  the  widow  of  the  late  James  L. 
Curtis,  Minister  Resident  of  the  United  States  to  Liberia.  For  a 
number  of  years  she  had  been  a  member  of  the  committee  of 
management  of  the  colored  women's  branch  of  the  Y.  W.  C.  A. 
As  she  had  been  in  France  and  had  learned  to  speak  the  language 
thoroughly,  she  was  much  desired  for  this  work. 

The  appointment  of  Mrs.  Curtis  proved  to  be  such  a  success 
that  another  colored  secretary  was  sent  over  in  the  following 
month.  This  was  Mrs.  Addie  W.  Hunton  of  Brookhm,  New  York, 
widow   of   the   late   William   A.    Hunton,    the    first   International 


SOCIAL  WELFARE  AGENCIES  405 

Secretary  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  for  colored  men  in  America.  She  is 
an  educated  woman  of  excellent  standing  and  had  for  a  number 
of  years  been  a  moving  spirit  in  Y.  W.  C.  A.  work.  She  had  also 
traveled  in  Europe,  studied  at  the  University  of  Strasburg,  and 
formed  certain  connections  which  enabled  her  to  render  the  race 
invaluable  service  abroad.  Mrs.  Hunton  was  soon  followed  by 
Miss  Kathryn  M.  Johnson,  and  later  by  twelve  or  more  women  of 
the  same  high  character. 

Tributes  to  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Workers 

''The  colored  Y.  M.  C.  A.  workers  here  in  France,"  said  Ralph 
W.  Tyler,  ''working  under  handicaps,  and  limited,  as  to  numbers,  in 
proportion  to  the  number  of  white  Y.  M.  C.  A.  workers,  and  consider- 
ing the  proportionate  number  of  colored  soldiers  in  France,  have  been 
paid  a  high  tribute  by  Colonel  (now  General)  W.  F.  Creary.  Writing 
to  Wm.  Stevenson,  colored  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretary  of  Hut  No.  2, 
General  Creary  said: 

"  'I  have  seen  the  workings  of  your  huts  along  the  line,  from  the  front 
line  trenches  to  the  base  ports,  and  have  been  a  personal  recipient  of  the 
comforts  afforded  by  them  on  many  occasions. 

"  'I  have  always  been  impressed  by  the  zeal  with  which  the  secretaries, 
and  others,  have  prosecuted  their  work,  with  untiring  energy,  and  with  their 
valor  and  bravery,  for  the  work  at  the  front  cannot  be  done  except  by  real 
red-blooded  men. 

"  'I  have  been  particularly  interested  in  the  acti\aties  of  your  huts, 
devoted  exclusively  to  the  interests  of  colored  soldiers  since  my  assumption  of 
the  command  of  this  camp,  and  I  congratulate  you  on  the  progress  you  have 
made,  and  are  making  now. 

"  'Besides  the  splendid  athletic,  social,  and  canteen  service  offered  by 
yourself  and  your  assistants,  I  have  been  much  impressed  by  your  activities 
in  the  educational  departments,  and  have  been  much  pleased  to  see  many  of 
OUR  Colored  soldiers,  who  have  had  but  few  advantages  of  early  education, 
availing  themselves  of  the  advantages  offered  by  you  for  the  acquirement  of 
knowledge  of  the  elementary  branches  of  education. 

"  'Your  thrift  department  is  the  means  of  many  of  OUR  men  saving 
their  money  and  purchasing  money  orders  to  send  back  home,  thereby  placing 
their  money  where  it  should  be. ' 

"In  Mr.  Stevenson's  but,  Mrs.  James  L.  Curtis  looks  after 
the  canteen,  and  most  laudably  aids  in  the  work  of  comforting  the 


406  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

thousands  of  colored  boys  who  are  contributing  their  might  in 
the  interest  of  world  democracy.  Mr.  Stevenson,  to  whom  General 
Creary  wrote  this  commendatory  letter,  is  a  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  boy, 
and  he  fairly  bubbles  in  his  enthusiasm  in  his  work  for  colored 
soldiers. 

*' While  visiting  this  particular  point,  I  came  in  contact  with  the 
work  of  colored  Y.  M.  C.  A.  people,  who  are  seconding  and  cooperating 
with  the  work  of  the  Army  in  a  most  effective  way.  Here  I  met  Mrs. 
James  L.  Curtis,  widow  of  our  late  Minister  to  Liberia,  who  is  idol- 
ized by  the  men  in  the  camp  in  which  is  located  the  particular 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  hut  in  which  she  labors.  I  also  came  in  contact  with  and 
investigated  the  splendid  work  of  Miss  Kathryn  Johnson,  of 
Chicago,  and  Mrs.  A.  W.  Hunton,  the  other  two  colored  women 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  workers  over  here,  and,  unfortunately,  the  only  three 
(with  Mrs.  Curtis)  colored  women  assigned  over  here  for  war  work 
by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  The  effect  of  the  work  these  thA*ee  splendid 
colored  women  have  done,  and  will  continue  to  do,  will  be  in  evidence 
long  after  this  war  has  been  fought  to  a  glorious  peace.  Here  I 
also  met  the  following  colored  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretaries:  Franklin 
Nichols,  of  Philadelphia,  who  has  been  here  for  more  than  a  year; 
Prof.  Moses  A.  Davis,  of  Evansville,  Ind. ;  Rev.  D.  Leroy  Ferguson, 
erstwhile  rector  of  the  Colored  Episcopal  church  at  Louisville,  Ky. ; 
Leon  James,  J.  Green,  and  Wm.  Stevenson.  When  I  considered  that 
all  these  Y.  M.  C.  A.  people,  and  most  especially  the  women,  forsook 
comfortable  homes  and  zones  of  culture  and  refinement  to  come  over 
here  and,  far  from  immediate  relatives  and  friends,  bury  themselves 
among  these  colored  soldiers  in  order  that  the  greatest  possible 
amount  of  sunshine  might  be  shoved  into  the  lives  of  these  men 
helping  to  establish  world  democracy,  I  could  not  help  but  feel  that 
those  of  the  race,  back  in  the  states,  who  are  at  an  absolutely  safe 
distance  from  German  bullets,  shrapnel  and  gas,  should  consecrate 
themselves,  also,  so  far  as  within  their  power,  to  the  rendering  of  aid 
and  comfort  to  these  soldiers  of  ours. 

**When  I  visited  the  hospital  at  this  point  and  noted  the  many 
colored  boys  who  were  bearing  their  illness  ^vith  a  cheerfulness  that 
was  amazing,  I  could  not  help  but  feel  much  of  the  criticism  one  hears 
back  in  the  states  could  well  be  held  in  abeyance  and  instead  the 
efforts  put  forth  in  criticism  expended  in  sympathy  and  efforts  for: 


SOCIAL  WELFARE  AGENCIES  407 

'our  own'  boys  who  are  here  so  many  thousand  miles  from  home, 
enduring  cheerfully  for  their  country's  sake. 

"The  work  being  performed  by  the  stevedores,  and  by  these 
colored  Y.  M.  C.  A.  workers  in  the  camps  I  have  just  visited,  and  the 
amicable  relations  existing  betw^een  them  and  superior  army  officers, 
I  feel  certain,  would  be  as  disillusioning  to  the  race  back  home  as  it 
has  been,  in  many  respects,  to  me. 

"Here  one  finds  these  colored  men  performing  nearly  every 
kind  of  work,  skilled  and  unskilled.  Their  camp  is  a  model  of  clean- 
liness— a  cleanliness  that  w^ould  put  to  shame  most  of  our  cities  back 
in  the  States,  and  a  cleanliness  in  which  the  colored  boys  take  a 
commendable  pride.  A  fine  brass  band  here,  composed  exclusively 
of  stevedores,  frequent  moving  picture  showings,  educational  work, 
etc.,  conspire  to  make  the  *  after  w^ork'  hours  of  these  thousands  of 
colored  service  men  pass  quickly  and  profitably.  Recently  General 
Pershing  visited  this  camp  and  gave  the  boys  an  interesting  talk, 
which  has  since  been  regarded  by  them  as  epochal. 

"Thus  far,  my  only  regret  is  that  there  were  not  more  colored 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  workers  over  here  to  enlarge  and  spread  the  splendid 
work  being  done  by  Mrs.  Curtis,  Mrs.  Hunton  and  Miss  Johnson. 
The  right  sort  of  women,  fine,  big-hearted,  devoted  colored  women, 
have  such  a  refining  influence  in  camps  such  as  this,  and  the  colored 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretaries  themselves  are  anxious  for  them,  and  feel  that 
colored  women,  to  a  number  proportionate  with  the  number  of  white 
women  sent  over  by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  would  further  tend  to  make 
camp  life  for  these  soldiers  ideal,  and  render  easier  the  disciplinary 
work  of  the  army. ' ' 

Early  in  April,  1919,  some  ten  or  twelve  additional  well- 
educated,  solid,  substantial  women  were  selected  and  sent  to  France 
to  work  among  colored  soldiers  and  to  supply  the  need  mentioned 
by  Mr.  Tyler. 

The  Knights  of  Columbus 

Another  organization  was  of  much  service  in  making  Negro 
soldiers  comfortable  at  the  front.  This  was  the  Knights  of  Colum- 
bus, a  Catholic  society,  which  has  to  its  credit  that,  unlike  the  other 
social  welfare  organizations  operating  in  the  war,  it  never  drew  the 
color  line.    It  provided  separate  huts  for  Negroes  at  some  of  the 


408  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

camps  when  special  requests  to  this  effect  were  received.  These  were 
recreational  buildings,  provided  with  home  surroundings  for  the 
preparation  of  which  no  pains  were  spared.  Such  arrangements 
were  made  at  Camp  Meade,  Camp  Dodge,  Camp  Funston,  Fort 
Kiley,  and  Camp  Taylor.  As  an  evidence  of  the  general  liberality 
of  the  management  of  the  war  work  conducted  by  the  Knights  of 
Columbus,  no  better  testimony  can  be  given  than  that  by  Joseph 
J.  Canavan  in  a  report  to  the  Kansas  Plain-Dealer. 

''Under  the  system  as  it  now  has  been  working  out,"  says  he, 
''the  Negro  soldier  needs  no  other  countersign  than  his  khaki  uni- 
form to  gain  for  him  every  advantage  offered  by  the  Knights' 
service.  True  there  are  places  both  in  this  country  and  abroad 
where  the  Knights  of  Columbus  have  erected  special  huts  for  the 
use  of  the  Negro  soldiers,  but  where  that  has  been  done  it  has 
been  at  the  express  request  of  the  Negro  soldiers  themselves,  who 
in  numerous  instances  have  expressed  a  preference  for  a  building 
of  their  own  where  they  may  enjoy  their  own  pleasure  in  their 
own  way  and  be  assured  of  meeting  their  own  friends  when  and 
where  and  under  circumstances  they  desired.  Similarly  the  other 
day,"  says  he,  "when  there  were  six  Negro  soldiers  in  training  at 
Port  Jervis,  New  York,  on  their  way  to  Goshen,  New  Y'^ork,  whence 
they  were  to  start  upon  their  journej^  to  a  training  camp,  it  was 
a  group  of  Knights  of  Columbus'  secretaries  who  met  them  and 
supplied  them  with  cigarettes  and  tobacco."  It  happened,  how- 
ever, that  the  six  Negroes  did  not  take  a  train  for  Port  Jer\ds. 
Instead  the  Knights  loaded  them  into  automobiles  and  drove  them 
across  the  pretty  hilly  country  to  their  point  of  departure  for  the 
camps.  There  were  only  six  men  in  that  draft  consignment,  but 
the  Knights  would  have  been  as  hearty  and  as  generous  if  there 
had  been  600.  There  have  been  innumerable  instances  where  a 
larger  number  of  men  have  been  cared  for  and  had  their  wants 
provided  for  by  the  Knights,  as  the  men  themselves  have  testified. 

Caring  for  Returned  Soldiers 

Upon  the  signing  of  the  Annistice  and  the  return  of  soldiers 
from  France,  severing  their  connections  with  the  social  welfare 
organizations  which  had  once  cared  for  them,  a  serious  problem 
presented  itself  to  the  American  people.    Many  cities  were  stunned 


SOCIAL  WELFARE  AGENCIES  409 

by  the  sudden  influx  of  so  many  soldiers.  In  some  cases  small 
towns  did  not  have  facilities  adequate  to  the  task  of  accommodat- 
ing the  number  which  came  even  if  it  had  been  expecting  them. 
Vice  conditions  in  the  communities  became  unspeakably  bad,  sol- 
diers were  mingling  with  lewd  women,  and  when  their  funds 
became  exhausted,  they  became  dissatisfied  and  even  rebellious. 
The  situation  was  in  every  sense  an  acute  one,  but  no  one  could 
be  blamed  and  no  one  was  willing  to  accept  the  responsibility  for 
improving  the  situation. 

Realizing  the  seriousness  of  this  problem  the  whites  and  blacks 
endeavored  to  find  some  solution  of  the  peculiar  problem.  This, 
however,  was  no  problem  peculiar  to  the  Negro  soldiers,  for  the 
whites  were  similarly  situated.  There  were,  however,  a  few  narrow 
and  prejudiced  whites  believing  that  anything  was  good  enough 
for  Negroes.  There  were  also  a  good  many  men  of  color,  and 
especially  ministers  and  the  like,  who  maintained  an  attitude  of 
apa.thy  towards  these  men  returning  from  the  war.  Then  there 
was,  worst  of  all,  a  strained  feeling  between  the  whites  and  blacks 
in  the  various  communities — a  feeling  apparently  of  long  standing 
and  intensified  by  war  conditions.  Upon  the  appearance,  there- 
fore, of  a  few  unusual  types  of  soldiers  of  both  races,  with  the 
misdemeanors  which  usually  characterize  persons  lacking  self- 
control,  the  situation  was  decidedly  aggravated. 

The  Wax  Camp  Community  Service 

To  find  a  way  out  of  this  difficulty  it  was  planned  to  extend 
the  War  Camp  Community  Service.  To  various  cities,  and  espe- 
cially to  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Eichmond,  Newport  News,  Nor- 
folk, Portsmouth,  Augusta,  Chattanooga,  Indianapolis,  Kansas 
City,  and  San  Antonio,  Texas,  were  sent  directors  to  enlighten  the 
communities  as  to  the  inevitable  results  of  the  war,  the  reason 
for  the  appearance  of  the  returned  soldiers  in  the  towns,  and  their 
responsibility  to  these  veterans.  Their  first  problem  was  to  reach 
the  churches  and  the  schools.  They  addressed  mass  meetings, 
spoke  before  social  groups,  and  had  personal  conferences  with  men 
of  influence,  to  find  their  way  into  the  hearts  of  the  people.  The 
next  step  was  to  convince  the  community  that  such  an  effort  was 
worth  while.    A  club  house,  too  often  some  abandoned  dilapidated 


410  SCOTT'S  OFP^ICIAL  HISTORY 

building,  was  secured  and  remodeled  to  suit  tlie  peculiar  needs  of 
the  time.  Adequate  furniture  and  equipment  for  dormitories  and 
cafeteria  sei'vice  were  supplied  and  a  desirable  club  with  a  file  of 
newspapers,  branch  circulating  library,  a  hall  for  entertainments, 
in  fact  a  social  center,  was  provided  for  service  in  the  community. 
Men  generally  stood  aloof,  but  it  was  soon  found  that  while  in 
some  cases  the  support  of  the  schools  and  the  churches  could  not 
be  obtained,  some  business  men  and  professional  men  of  intelli- 
gence, character,  and  vision  came  to  the  support  of  these  War 
Camp  Community  Service  workers,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the 
entertainment  and  the  atmosphere  maintained  by  the  center  con- 
vinced a  majority  of  the  people  of  their  importance  and  value. 

It  was  soon  possible  thereafter  to  enlist  the  support  of  a  larger 
number  of  influential  people  in  the  various  communities.  One 
organization  after  another  engaged  in  the  service  and  appeared  at 
various  times  to  entertain  the  soldiers  assembled  at  these  centers. 
Out  of  such  beginnings  came  the  support  of  the  churches  and  other 
religious  organizations.  It  was  necessary  to  add  other  men  and 
even  women  to  the  staff,  so  rapid  was  the  progress  and  so  exten- 
sive was  the  work.  Club  activities  increased;  soldiers  were  visited 
in  the  various  camps  and  hospitals,  friendly  relations  were  estab- 
lished and  business  men  were  brought  together,  so  as  to  cause  a 
contact  helpful  to  them  in  other  ways.  It  then  became  possible  to 
organize  clubs  in  school  buildings  and  Sunday  schools,  and  women 
in  clubs  v\'orked  together  in  a  practical  way  whenever  the  oppor- 
tunity came.  Various  ways  in  which  they  contributed  may  be 
summarized  as  follows:  The  commimity  became  reconciled  and 
active  in  the  service;  it  was  then  an  easy  matter  to  welcome  the 
returning  soldiers.  Provision  was  made  for  their  entertainment 
in  the  theaters;  community  centers  and  concerts  were  arranged  for 
them;  large  numbers  of  citizens  attended  the  recreation  rallies 
and  entertainments,  dinners,  and  dances  multiplied  throughout 
the  period  of  demobilization. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALE 

Eager  Response  of  Colored  Draftees — Notable  Tributes  to  the 
Patriotism  of  the  Negro  Race  by  the  White  Press — Also  by 
President  Wilson,  Secretary  Baker,  Secretary  Daniels,  and 
Others — Negro  Loyalty  Never  Doubted — Patriotic  Negro  De- 
monstrations and  Other  Insta'nces  of  Loyalty. 

When  the  United  States  declared  war  against  Germany  and 
the  Teutonic  allies,  there  were  internal  conditions  existing  in 
America  that  w^ere  by  no  means  ideal  so  far  as  the  Negro  was  con- 
cerned, nor  were  they  altogether  conducive  to  loyalty  and  a  healthy 
morale  among  this  particular  group  of  American  citizens.  Beset 
by  a  vicious  and  persistent  propaganda  on  the  one  side,  and  by 
continued  instances  of  lynching  and  mob  \T.olence  of  which  he  was 
the  chief  \4ctim  on  the  other,  the  Negro  in  America  faced  a  real 
crisis  at  the  beginning  of  the  war.  Temptation  after  temptation 
was  presented  to  him  to  render  lukewarm  and  half-hearted  sup- 
port to  the  Government  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war,  without 
making  himself  criminally  liable,  but  Negro  leaders  in  all  parts 
of  the  countiy  recognized  at  once  that  the  national  crisis  demanded, 
and  the  plain  duty  and  best  interests  of  the  Negi'o  racial  group 
required  that,  Avithout  bargaining,  there  must  be  a  pledge  on  the 
part  of  the  NegTo  of  his  undiluted  and  unfaltering  loyalty. 

Histoiy  records  no  parallel  where,  under  similar  conditions,  any 
racial  group  has  been  more  loyal  to  the  Government  or  has  main- 
tained a  higher  morale  than  was  true  of  colored  Americans  dur- 
ing the  trying  period  of  the  recent  war.  The  Negro  pledged  his 
loyalty  and  w^as  depended  upon  in  all  sections  of  our  country.  He 
entered  fully  and  bravely  into  the  work  of  defending  the  "Stars 
and  Stripes."  All  propaganda  efforts  to  weaken  his  morale  abso- 
lutely failed.    A  black  skin  during  the  war  was  a  badge  of  patriotism. 

The  Negro  was  not  unmindful  of  certain  wrongs,  injustices, 
and  discriminations  which  were  heaped  upon  his  race  in  many 
sections  of  the  countiy,  but  in  the  face  of  it  all  he  remained  ada- 

411 


412  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

mant  against  all  attempts  to  lower  his  morale,  and  realized  that  his 
first  duty  was  loyalty  to  his  country.  America  is  indeed  the  Negro's 
country,  for  he  has  been  here  three  hundred  years,  which  is  about 
two  hundred  years  longer  than  many  of  the  white  racial  groups; 
he  realized  that  he  was  formally  declared  a  citizen  of  this  country 
by  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  although  many 
of  the  rights  and  privileges  of  citizenship  were  still  denied  him, 
yet  the  plain  course  before  him  was  to  perform  all  of  the  duties 
of  citizenship  and  at  the  same  time  continue  to  press  his  demands 
for  all  of  the  rights  and  privileges  which  the  Constitution  has 
vouchsafed  to  him.  He  realized  that  he  would  not  be  in  a  position 
to  demand  his  rights  unless  he  fully  performed  his  duties  as  an 
American  citizen,  and  in  thus  lending  his  loyal  allegiance  he  ex- 
emplified his  belief  in  the  doctrine  expounded  by  Colonel  Theodore 
Roosevelt  to  the  effect  that  ''rights  and  privileges"  are  contingent 
upon  the  faithful  discharge  of  the  "duties  and  responsibilities"  of 
citizenship  in  any  country.  And  so  it  was  that  although  the  lynch- 
ing evil  and  other  wrongs  against  the  Negro  proceeded  with  un- 
abated fury,  unrestrained  even  by  the  President's  proclamation, 
the  Negro  remained  steadfast  in  his  loyalty  to  the  Government. 
His  last  ounce  of  devotion  was  pledged  without  question  to  the 
principles  of  freedom  and  democracy  for  which  America  stood,  and 
the  thought  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  twelve  million  colored 
Americans  was  that  the  Teutonic  allies  should  be  brought  to  their 
knees,  and  that  the  war  would  result  in  the  downfall  of  all  kinds 
of  tyranny  and  oppression. 

Eager  Response  to  the  Draft 

Tf  there  was  ever  any  question  as  to  the  Negro's  loyalty,  it 
was  soon  dispelled  by  the  readiness  with  which  he  answered  the 
draft  call,  by  his  eagerness  to  volunteer,  even  though  in  many 
instances  denied  this  privilege;  by  the  splendid  spirit  in  which 
thousands  of  Negroes,  educated  and  uneducated,  accepted  tasks 
assigned  to  them  in  non-combatant  and  Sei-vice  of  Supply  regi- 
ments; and  by  the  whole-hearted  way  in  which  Negro  civilians, 
men,  women,  and  children,  representing  every  section  of  the 
country  and  every  walk  of  life,  responded  to  every  call  of  the 
Nation.     The  valiant,  varied,  and  effective  services  rendered  by 


NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALE  418 

four  hundred  thousand  Negro  soldiers  who  were  called  to  the 
colors,  both  in  camps  and  cantonments  at  home  as  well  as  upon 
the  battlefields  of  Europe,  canceled  every  possible  doubt  and 
furnished  proof  positive  of  the  Negro's  unfaltering  loyalty. 

Many  agencies  sought  to  lower  the  morale  of  the  Negro.  Not 
only  did  German  propagandists  labor  diligently  i  n  certain  sec- 
tions of  the  countiy,  particularly  among  the  unlettered  element  of 
the  Negro  population,  in  the  effort  to  impress  upon  their  minds 
the  tw^o  fallacies  that  (1)  America  had  no  right  or  cause  to  engage 
in  a  foreign  war,  and  (2)  that  the  Negro  was  foolish  in  fighting 
for  a  country  which  did  not  fully  protect  him  in  his  rights  as  a 
citizen.  Propagandists  sought  to  advertise  every  instance  of 
lynching,  mob  violence,  or  other  wrong  visited  upon  a  member  of 
the  Negro  race,  w^th  a  \dew  of  turning  him  against  his  own 
country,  and  found  additional  fuel  for  their  seditious  flames  in  the 
anti-Negro  attitude  manifested  by  a  number  of  w^hite  newspapers, 
governors  of  states,  mayors  of  cities,  legislators,  race-prejudice- 
breeding  moving  picture  shows,  etc.,  that  w^ere  allowed  to  propa- 
gate a  dangerous  hate  doctrine  and  to  exert  a  disquieting  influence 
even  in  the  critical  period  of  war. 

Propagandists  emphasized  racial  discriminations  of  one  kind 
or  another  and  unfortunately  were  able  to  refer  to  the  facts  that 
the  black  American,  supposedly  a  citizen,  was  in  many  states  denied 
the  ballot;  that  he  was  **Jim  Crowed"  on  many  of  the  railroads 
and  public  carriers,  although  charged  first-class  fare  for  transporta- 
tion; that  he  w^as  denied  admission  to  most  public  places  of  amuse- 
ment, hotels  and  the  like.  Using  such  arg-uments  as  a  basis,  the 
question  w^as  raised  as  to  w4iy  the  Negro  ^vas  willing  to  jeopardize 
his  life,  his  liberty,  and  his  pursuit,  of  happiness  in  coming  to  the 
rescue  of  America  in  her  extremity  and  thus  helping  to  defeat 
Germany — a  country  where,  it  was  said,  such  racial  discriminations 
did  not  exist. 

None  of  these  questions,  however,  disturbed  the  thoughtful 
leaders  of  the  Negro  people.  They  knew  the  designing  motive 
back  of  such  propaganda.  They  recognized,  without  question,  that 
the  moment  the  American  Negro  failed  to  perform  all  of  the  duties 
of  citizenship,  he  immediately  abdicated  the  right  of  claiming  the 
full  privileges  of  citizenship.     The  Negro   leaders  knew  that  the 


414  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

central  tbouglit  in  the  German  mind  and  the  traditional  policy  of 
the  Central  Powers  was  ^'yniijMy"  and  that  '' compelling  force'' 
was  intended  to  be  used,  as  a  part  of  a  world-vi^de  conquest,  to 
reduce  to  German  domination  the  weaker  and  other  peace-lo\ing 
peoples  of  the  earth.  They  remembered  something  of  the  history 
of  Germany's  African  colonies.  They  recognized  that  the  great 
masses  of  the  Negro  race  in  America  belong  to  a  submerged  gToup 
— seeking  education,  industrial  opportunity,  wealth — and,  more  than 
all,  liberty,  freedom,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  and  as  a  means 
of  obtaining  possession  and  permanent  enjoyment  of  those  price- 
less privileges  (along  with  white  Americans  who  were  fighting 
for  the  same  cause),  they  declared  in  the  public  press,  in  pulpits, 
upon  the  public  rostrum,  in  lodge-rooms,  in  schools  and  everywhere 
— that  no  discouraging  or  untoward  conditions  existing  among  the 
Negro  people  must  interfere  ^dth  their  whole-hearted  support  of 
their  country's  war  program. 

Promoting  the  Negro  Morale 

As  a  part  of  the  Government's  program  of  promoting  a 
healthy  morale  among  colored  soldiers  and  colored  Americans 
generally,  the  author  was  delegated  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
visit  various  camps  and  cantonments  where  colored  soldiers  were 
stationed,  also  leading  centers  of  Negro  population;  first,  for  the 
purpose  of  learning  as  to  conditions  existing  likely  to  affect  their 
patriotism;  and,  second,  for  the  purpose  of  delivering  addresses 
such  as  would  be  calculated  to  promote  the  continued  loyalty  and 
a  healthy  morale  among  the  members  of  this  racial  group. 

Preliminary  to  his  tour  of  the  Middle-West  he  made  a  care- 
ful investigation  of  conditions  existing  in  Camps  Meade,  Dix, 
Lee,  Upton,  and  others,  and  had  sought  to  ameliorate  conditions 
existing  among  colored  soldiers  stationed  at  those  camps.  This 
middle-western  itinerary  served  to  give  the  colored  people  full 
opportunity  of  hearing  directly  from  a  representative  of  the  War 
Department  with  respect  to  its  policy  concerning  Negro  troops. 

The  92nd  Di^dsion  (colored)  was  trained  at  seven  different 
cantonments.  Early  in  May,  1918,  it  became  evident  that  orders 
would  shortly  be  issued  for  the  entire  di\'ision  to  go  overseas,  and 
it  was  therefore  arranged  that  the  author  should  '  *  sAving  around  the 


NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALE  415 

circle,"  visiting  all  camps  not  already  visited,  where  any  units  of 
the  92nd  Division  were  stationed,  and  speaking  at  such  strategic 
centers  en  route  through  the  West  Where  his  itinerary  would  per- 
mit. As  a  part  of  this  program  he  spoke  at  various  times  in  all 
parts  of  the  country,  including  Boston,  Massachusetts;  Chicago, 
Illinois;  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  New  York  City;  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri; Indianapolis,  Indiana;  Cincinnati,  Cleveland,  and  Columbus, 
Ohio ;  Atlanta,  Georgia ;  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  and  Baltimore, 
Maryland. 

His  return  to  Washington  about  the  middle  of  May  brought  the 
itinerary  to  a  close.  Though  the  gait  at  which  he  traveled  was  a 
strenuous  one,  he  was  immeasurably  strengthened  for  his  work  by 
this  intimate  contact  with  the  people  of  the  country  of  both  races, 
soldiers  and  civilians.  Wise  counsel  and  friendly  encouragement 
were  met  with  at  every  turn  and  he  was  convinced  that  the  extended 
tour  had  not  been  made  in  vain.  He  had  spoken  thirty-two  times, 
to  thousands  of  his  fellow-citizens,  all  of  whom  w^ere  impelled  by 
a  common  impulse  of  patriotism. 

A  high  note  of  patriotism  was  sounded  by  thoughtful  leaders 
of  the  Negro  people  in  all  walks  of  life.  Negro  editors,  with  but 
few  exceptions,  rallied  to  the  Nation's  call  and  wrote  in  a  ma,rtial 
spirit;  the  Negro  clergy  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  patriotism  and 
awakened  the  Negro  laity  to  a  sense  of  its  duty,  opportunity,  and 
responsibility;  Negro  educators  in  aU  sections  taught  loyalty  as 
a  cardinal  virtue  and  representative  Negro  public  speakers  sought 
diligently  to  maintain  a  healthy  morale  among  the  rank  and  file 
of  colored  Americans. 

It  was  also  recognized  on  the  part  of  the  white  people  of  the 
South  and  elsewhere  that  the  Negi^o's  loyalty  was  not  to  be  ques- 
tioned, and  representative  white  Americans,  both  North  and  South, 
testified  in  the  public  press  that  they  regarded  the  Negro's  un- 
divided loyalty  as  a  valuable  asset  to  the  Nation.  White  news- 
papers all  over  the  country  devoted  column  after  column  of  space 
to  the  whole-souled  loyalty  of  colored  Americans. 

Notable  Newspaper  Tribute 

"The  Negro  population  of  the  United  States,"  said  the  St. 
Louis  Globe  Democrat,  '4s  loyal  to  the  core,  and  of  all  the  fantasies 


416  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  Germany  diplomacy  toward  the  alienation  of  elements  of  our 
composite  population,  after  it  was  recognized  that  our  declaration 
of  war  was  coming — none  was  more  fantastic  than  the  well-accred- 
ited plot  to  turn  our  native  colored  citizens  against  the  country  with 
which  all  their  fortunes  are  bound  up  and  identified. 

''It  has  been  possible  for  Pnissianism  to  find  among  us  some 
weak  and  credulous  people  and  some  even  who,  coming  here  as 
aliens,  have  prospered  greatly  under  our  institutions,  to  be  deluded 
Avith  the  notion  that  they  could  reap  advantage  out  of  the  nation's 
humiliation  and  defeat.  Tlw  colored  citizen  of  the  United  States 
has  a  shrewd  understanding  of  the  fact  that  we  inust  all  stand  or 
fall  together,  and  he  doesn't  want  to  fall. 

''Aside  from  all  such  practical  considerations,"  continued  the 
editor,  "there  is  a  Negro  loyalty  which  is  one  of  the  fitiest  traits 
of  the  race.  It  has  been  sung  in  song  and  story.  The  older  gen- 
erations were  loyal  even  to  those  who  were  fighting  to  hold  them 
in  slavery,  out  of  ties  of  love  and  affection  wiiich  nothing  could 
break.  Men  of  the  South,  intelligent  and  high-charactered  men, 
some  of  whom  had  personal  and  family  knowledge  of  this  fine 
fidelity  and  devotion,  have  permitted  grosser  elements  to  persecute 
the  race,  purely  out  of  political  considerations.  We  trust,  and  now 
believe,  that  that  discreditable  era  is  drawing  to  a  close.  It  has 
been  the  one  blot  on  an  escutcheon  never  marred  by  want  of  valor 
or  chivalry  in  fighting  for  a  lost  cause. 

"The  colored  people  are  justifying  all  of  our  faith.  Not  only 
are  they,  at  home,  responding  to  every  patriotic  need,  hut  their  men 
in  the  field,  in  France,  are  proving  themselves  worthy  comrades  of 
those  ivho  so  signally  earned  laurels  at  San  Juan,  and  those  mho, 
on  the  Mexican  border,  under  Pershing,  proved  themselves  at 
Carrizal  to  he  of  the  stuff  American  soldiers  are  made  of." 

In  Jackson,  Mississippi,  in  the  heart  of  the  South,  Rev.  George 
Luther  Cady,  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church,  preached 
a  special  sermon  pleading  for  a  deeper  consideration  of  the  black 
man  and  a  fairer  judgment  of  him  in  view  of  his  demonstrated 
patriotism  and  dependability,  especially  in  time  of  war.  He  em- 
phasized the  fact  that  the  crimes  "with  which  Wq  Negro  is  charged 
are  few  in  number  and  in  proportion  to  those  of  the  white  popula- 
tion, and  that,  through  the  narrow  viewpoint  of  the  whites,  his 


Ahuii  .-iMied  Amen.-.tii  s,,|iii.is  l.oitm'  derorated  with  I>islini;uislied  Service  Cro<^s  by 
Maj(ii-Geneial  Eli  Helmiek  of  the  I'nited  States  Army  in  presence  of  Admiral  Moreau 
of  the  French  Navy.  Beloiv — Group  of  Nesro  Officers,  366th  Infantrv,  USA 
Left  to  Right — Capt.  L.  H.  Godman.  Lt.  and  Adj.  Chas.  S.  Parker,  Capt  Chas  G 
Kelley,  Capt.  Wm.  Hill,  Capt.  C.  W.  Owens,  Capt.  Geo.  A.  Holland.  Cant  w'  t" 
Thompson,    2nd    Lt.    Wm.    D.    Nabors. 


Above — The  Curtis  brothers,  three  sons  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  A.  M.  Curtis,  Washington,  D.  C, 
commissioned  as  Officers  in  Unitid  States  Army.  Left  to  Riffht — A.  Maurice  Curtis. 
Medical  Reserve  Corps;  Arthur  L.  Curtis,  368th  Medical  Corps;  Merrill  H.  Curtis. 
349th   Field   Artillery,   all    First  Lieutenants. 

lielow — The  Gould  family  of  fighters.  Seated  in  front  is  Wm.  15.  Gould  of  East  Dedham, 
Mass.,  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War.  Standing-  are  his  six  sons  who  have  also  sei-ved 
their  country.  Left  to  Right — ^I^awrenoe  W.  Gould,  1st  l.t.  .James  E.  Gould,  Major  Wm. 
B.  Gould,   Jr.,  Lt.  Herbert   R.   Gould,   1st  Lt.   Ernest  M.   Gould,   and    Frederick   C.   Gould. 


Top,   Left   to   Right — 2nd   Lt.   Jas.   L.    Horace,   Intel.   Officer,    365th    Inf.:    2nd   \A.    Stephen   R. 

Mcses,   Jr.,   351st  F.  A.;   1st  Lt.   Marion  C.   Rhoten,   Hd^rs.   Tioop,   92nd   Dlv.;    l.,t.    Frank 

L.   Frances,  M.  G.  Co.  366th  Inf. 
Left,   Center — 1st  Lt.   Edward   C.    Knox,    349th   Mchn.    Gun   ISat.      Right,   Center — Capt.    Spahi- 

H.   Dickey,   351st  Mchn.  Gun   Bat. 
Bottom,    Left — Capt.    Beverley   L.   Dorsey,    317th    Am.    Tr.      Bottom,    Right — Capt.    Robert    B. 

Chubb,   367th   Inf. 
Center   Panel — Sergt.    Wm.    Butler    of    Salisbury,    Md.,    who    received    the    Croix    de    Guerre 

from    the    French    Government    and    Distinguished    Service    Cross    and    Shai-pshooter's 

Medal   from  the  United   States  Government.     The  story  of  Sergt.   Butler  and   his  hand 

to  hand  encounters  with  the  Boches  is  related  in  full  in  this  volume. 


NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALE  417 

crimes  have  been  magnified  without  keeping  in  mind  the  short- 
comings of  his  white  brothers. 

Mr.  Bolton  Smith,  a  representative  white  Southern  gentleman 
of  Memphis,  Tennessee,  impressed  by  Negro  loyalty  and  possessed 
with  a  high  sense  of  justice,  wrote  Governor  Tom  C.  Rye,  of 
Tennessee,  as  follows:  **Tlie  Government  of  the  United  States 
is  controlled  by  Southern  men.  It  has  called  the  Negro  to  the 
defense  of  the  colors,  and  the  American  people  will  demand  that 
a  race  thus  honored  shall  be  granted  the  justice  of  a  fair  trial 
when  accused  of  crime.  We  all  know  that  when  guilty  there  is  no 
doubt  of  full  punishment.  As  Secretary  of  the  Tennessee  Law 
and  Order  League,  organized  to  stop  lynching,  I  urge  you  to  issue 
a  proclamation  to  our  people  pointing  out  the  treasonable  effect 
of  such  lynchings." 

A  white  newspaper  of  Texas  published  an  article  that  was 
reprinted  in  the  Houston  Observer  and  other  Negro  journals, 
headed  ''The  Black  Man  Stood  Pat  and  Fought  the  Good  Fight.'* 
In  the  course  of  the  article  it  was  stated :  ' '  The  war  did  more  for 
the  American  Negro  than  had  been  accomplished  in  several  decades 
of  peace.  He  demonstrated  that  he  could  fight — that  his  willing- 
ness and  capacity  for  work  were  unlimited;  that  he  could  easily 
adapt  himself  to  strange  surroundings  and  that  he  understood  the 
purpose  of  Liberty  Bonds,  ivhich  lie  almost  invariably  bought  u/ntil 
it  actually  and  positively  'hurt.'  One  of  the  most  glonous  things 
that  happened  to  the  Negro,  however,  was  the  revelation  of  his 
absolute,  unshakable  loyalty  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  Evidence 
adduced  before  a  Senate  Committee  shows  that  German  propa- 
gandists -failed  miserably  in  their  efforts  among  the  blacks.  That 
they  operated  principally  among  the  plantation  Negroes  of  the 
South  and  there  made  no  headway  whatever,  is  significant.  It  is 
a  splendid  tribute  to  the  Americanism  of  the  Negro.  It  might 
be  supposed  that  among  men  and  women  who  are  not  regular 
readers  of  the  newspapers,  who  trust  to  the  *grape\ine,'  which 
makes  a  wireless  station  of  every  cabin,  for  most  of  their  informa- 
tion, the  fairy  tales  of  the  paid  Geraian  agents  would  find  fertile 
ground.  But  the  Negro  stood  pat.  'You  have  no  countiy,'  was 
an  insidious  remark  that  was  dinned  into  his  ears  night  and  day. 
*  You '11  never  get  your  Liberty  Bond  money  back,'  was  another. 


418  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

'You'll  get  forty  acres  of  land  if  the  Germans  win,'  they  were 
told.  And  they  were  assured  that  victory  for  the  'humane'  Ger- 
mans meant  an  end  of  all  hangings  and  instant  leveling  of  all 
social  lines  in  the  United  States.  Many  white  'intellectuals'  in 
ihe  North  succumbed  to  sophistries  and  lies,  hut  those  black  mil- 
lions did  not.  Their  hearts  proved  pure  gold  and  they  stood  by 
Uncle  Sam.  The  Secret  Service  needed  no  special  trains  for  Negro 
excursions  to  internment  camps.  It  is  that  same  inborn  spirit  of 
loyalty  to  the  Government  that  has  prevented  the  I.  W.  W.  frorn 
gaifmig  converts  among  the  blaohs  of  the  South,  no  matter  how 
poor  they  are  or  hoiv  unjust  their  position  economically." 

Tributes  by  Wilson,  Baker  and  Daniels 

President  Woodrow  Wilson,  in  a  special  memorandum  which 
accompanied  his  commutation  of  the  sentences  of  a  group  of 
Negro  soldiers  who  were  charged  with  being  implicated  in  the 
Houston  (Texas)  riot,  paid  tribute  to  the  loyalty  and  fidelity  of 
colored  Americans.  Similar  tributes  were  frequently  paid  by  Hon. 
Newton  D.  Baker,  Secretary  of  "War.  In  a  special  message  of 
encouragement  and  confidence  which  he  addressed  to  the  Chicago 
Branch  of  the  National  Security  League,  which  held  a  patriotic 
mass  meeting  at  the  Coliseum  in  Chicago,  February  12,  1918,  the 
Secretary  of  War  wrote:  "As  stated  to  you  in  the  telegraphic 
reply  which  Mr.  Emmett  J.  Scott,  my  Special  Assistant,  forwarded 
to  you  at  my  instance  and  request,  I  sincerely  wish  it  were  possible 
for  me  to  be  present  on  the  occasion  referred  to,  for  I  would  then 
have  a  splendid  opportunity  to  tell  of  ihe  fine  spirit  with  ivhi<:h  the 
great  test  of  the  quality  of  America  is  being  met  by  the  colored 
people  of  our  country.  *  *  *  i  wish,  however,  in  view  of  my 
enforced  absence,  to  send,  especially  to  the  colored  Americans  of 
your  community  and  elsewhere,  just  a  few  words  of  encourage- 
ment and  confidence.  *  *  *  In  a  most  encouraging  degree,  it 
is  being  regarded  by  colored  citizens  throughout  the  countiy  as  a 
privilege  and  as  a  duty  to  give  liberally  of  their  substance,  of  their 
time,  of  their  talents,  of  their  energy,  of  their  influence,  and  in 
every  way  possible,  to  contribute  toward  the  comfort  and  success 
of  our  fighting  units  and  those  of  our  allies  across  the  seas.  The 
colored  men,  who  were  subject  to   draft,  are  to  be  commended 


NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALE  419 

upon  their  promptness  and  eagerness  in  registering  their  names 
for  service  in  the  National  Army,  and  likewise  mention  is  made 
of  the  relatively  low  percentage  of  exemption  claims  filed  by 
them.  Those  in  the  service  of  their  country,  I  am  sure,  will  prove 
faithful  and  efficient,  and  will  uphold  the  traditions  of  their  race.'* 

In  addition  to  the  splendid  tributes  paid  to  Negro  loyalty, 
time  after  time,  by  Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt  and  William  H. 
Taft,  both  former  Presidents  of  the  United  States,  Hon.  Josephus 
Daniels,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  at  a  banquet  given  in  his  honor  by 
the  citizens  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  on  Flag  Day,  June  14,  1918,  warmly 
commended  the  colored  people  for  their  never-failing  devotion  to 
the  American  flag.  In  introducing  Secretary  Daniels  at  the 
afternoon  gathering,  following  a  monster  parade,  former  Governor 
Martin  H.  Glynn  referred  to  the  fact  that  Henry  Johnson,  an 
Albany  colored  soldier  who  was  cited  by  General  Pershing  for 
extreme  valor  on  the  battlefield,  was  bom  in  North  Carolina,  near 
Secretary  Daniel's  home.  The  Secretary,  in  mentioning  Private 
Johnson  in  his  speech,  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  colored  people 
of  the  South;  he  said  that  while  *' there  has  been  occasion  to  question 
the  patriotism  of  S07ne  of  the  people  in  this  country,  the  loyalty 
of  the  colored  citizens  had  never  been  in  doubt/^ 

Upon  the  floor  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States,  a  Southern  Congressman — Hon.  R.  W.  Austin,  of  Tennes- 
see, paid  glowing  tribute  to  Negro  soldiers  and  warmly  commended 
the  loyal  part  that  the  Negro  citizenship  of  the  country  was  play- 
ing in  helping  to  win  the  war.  He  read  into  the  Congressional 
Record  the  wonderful  tribute  which  General  Pershing,  Command- 
ing Officer  of  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces,  paid  to  the 
colored  soldiers,  and  stated  that  not  only  in  the  military  ranks 
were  Negro  patriots  to  be  found,  but  likewise  they  were  serving 
in  munition  plants,  in  mines,  in  factories,  foundries,  and  upon  the 
farm,  doing  their  utmost  to  support  their  Government  in  the  time 
of  stress  and  storm.  He  bore  cheerful  testimony  to  the  loyalty  of 
this  racial  group  and  stated  that  in  his  section  of  the  country,  the 
South,  the  Negro  people  had  not  only  furnished  their  full  quota 
for  the  Army  but  had  liberally  subscribed  to  Liberty  Loans,  the 
Red  Cross,  and  the  Army  Y.  M.  C.  A.  funds.  He  closed  his  ad- 
dress by  saying:    *'It  gives  me  pleasure  to  place  upon  the  endur- 


420  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

ing  records  of  the  Government  this  brief  but  true  and  deserved 
tribute  to  the  loyalty,  fidelity,  and  patriotism  of  the  colored  citizens 
of  America." 

Negro  Loyalty  Never  Doubted 

Even  though  white  men  who  held  positions  high  in  the  public 
life  of  the  country  were,  in  some  cases,  under  suspicion  as  to 
their  loyalty  and  several  members  of  the  United  States  Congress 
were  charged  with  entertaining  anti-American  ideas — one  of  the 
latter  being  convicted  in  a  court  of  law  on  the  charge  of  disloyalty, 
he  it  said  to  the  everlasting  credit  of  the  American  Negro,  it 
ivas  never  necessary  to  question  his  loyalty.  This  racial  group 
placed  itself  squarely  on  the  side  of  a  wider  democracy  for  all 
peoples,  as  expressed  by  the  President  in  his  public  utterances, 
and  gave  cordial  sanction  to  that  sentiment  contained  in  the  Presi- 
dent's address  delivered  July  4,  1918,  at  Washington's  Tomb, 
when  he  said:  "What  we  seek  is  the  reign  of  law  based  upon  the 
consent  of  the  governed  and  sustained  by  the  organized  opinion 
of  mankind.'* 

Notable  among  the  patriotic  meetings  and  parades  conducted 
in  all  sections  of  the  country  to  sustain  the  morale  of  the  colored 
people  were  those  which  occurred  (1)  at  Wilmington,  Delaware, 
under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Alice  Dunbar-Nelson,  w^hose  splendid 
efforts  in  mobilizing  the  colored  women  of  the  country  for  war 
work  is  referred  to  elsewhere  in  this  volume;  and  (2)  at  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  where  a  *' Negro  Loyalty  Day"  was  observed,  June  13, 
1918,  featured  by  a  ''Loyalty  Day  Parade  and  Patriotic  Benefit" 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Colored  Women's  Unit  of  the  Council  of 
National  Defense,  mth  Mrs.  Victoria  Clay  Haley,  as  Chairman. 
Colored  men  and  women  from  every  walk  of  life,  including  thou- 
sands  of  school  children  enthusiastically  took  a  part  in  these 
patriotic  demonstrations;  some  of  the  special  sections  of  the  St. 
Louis  parade  included  representatives  of  the  Colored  Waiters' 
Alliance,  Wayman  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Summer  High  School,  Banne- 
ker  School,  Simmons  School,  Cottage  School,  Dessalines  School, 
Lincoln  School,  Delany  School,  colored  employees  of  the  Post  Office, 
St.  Louis  Medical  Forum,  Boosters'  Club,  Young  Ladies'  Beading 
Club,  colored  Patrons  from  Kinlock  and  Ferguson,  Missouri,  First 


NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALE  421 

Baptist  Church,  Church  of  God,  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Olive  Street 
Terrace  Realty  Company,  Negro  business  and  professional  men  of 
St.  Louis,  and  others.  The  two  parades  mentioned  above,  and 
many  others,  reached  the  high-water  mark  of  Negro  patriotism. 

In  New  Orleans,  La.,  a  monster  parade  was  held  by  colored 
citizens,  each  marcher  carrying  an  American  flag.  Some  of  the 
strikingly  worded  banners  were:  "Stand  by  Our  President"; 
''AVhat  It  Takes  To  Lick  the  Kaiser,  WeVe  Got  It";  ''Victory 
Calls  Us";  ''The  Colored  Man  Is  No  Slacker."  A  squad  of  steve- 
dores who  had  served  under  General  Pershing  in  France  and 
sailors  from  the  Algiers  Naval  Training  Station  headed  the  parade; 
they  were  some  of  the  troops  who  built  the  great  docks  in  France. 

In  point  of  numbers,  enthusiasm  and  fidelity  to  the  cause  the 
parade  held  in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  was  also  a  tremendously  signifi- 
cant demonstration.  Negro  laborers,  factory  hands,  porters,  and 
workers  in  stores  and  office  buildings,  chauffeurs,  gardeners,  and 
other  colored  employees  were  granted  by  their  employers  a  special 
half-holiday  in  order  that  they  might  participate  in  the  Loyalty 
Parade;  and  along  with  them  marched  hundreds  of  other  men, 
women,  and  children,  representing  practically  every  phase  of  Negro 
life.  Along  the  route  of  the  parade  the  marchers  were  liberally 
applauded  by  their  w^ite  fellow-citizens,  who  were  much  impressed 
with,  the  spirit  of  the  occasion  and  w^ho  gladly  contributed  to  its 
success. 

Other  Instances  of  Loyalty 

The  enthusiastic  farewells  that  were  given  to  departing  Negro 
draftees  and  soldiers  by  their  mothers,  wives,  and  other  relatives 
and  friends  furnished  by  no  means  the  least  valuable  evidence  of 
the  self-sacrificing  loyalty  of  this  entire  racial  group.  In  numerous 
cities  could  be  witnessed  scenes  where  Negro  enlisted  men  marched 
through  the  streets,  on  their  way  to  camp,  accompanied  by  cheer- 
ing throngs  of  colored  w^omen,  men,  and  children  carrying  flags  and 
filling  the  air  with  shoutings  of  patriotism.  Nor  was  their  loyalty 
merely  vocal,  for  it  found  additional  concrete  expression  in  the 
purchase  of  Liberty  Bonds,  War  Savings  Stamps,  and  the  like. 
Miss  Kate  M.  Herring,  Director  of  Publicity  for  the  North  Caro- 
lina War  Savings  Committee,  has  published  in  Northern  and  South- 


422  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

em  magazines  some  interesting  facts  in  regard  to  the  thrift  cam* 
paigns  among  Negroes  in  her  State.  In  the  ''Black  Belt,"  where 
in  fourteen  counties  the  Negroes  average  56  per  cent  of  the  popula' 
tion,  she  wrote,  the  average  subscription  icas  80  per  cent  of  the 
allotment,  4  per  cent  ynore  than  in  the  State  at  large.  In  the 
county  which  subscribed  128  per  cent  of  its  allotment,  the  Negroes 
constitute  47  i)er  cent  of  the  population.  They  furnished  42  to 
61  per  cent  of  the  thirteen  of  the  nineteen  counties  which  subscribed 
100  per  cent  or  over.  Subscriptions  ranged  from  that  of  a  Negro 
ivho  took  the  limit  of  one  thousand  dollars  for  each  member  of  his 
family  to  those  whose  subscriptions  were  paid  for  in  25-cent  stamps, 
including  a  washerwoman  with  a  blind  husband  who  subscribed  for 
$50  worth  for  herself  and  him. 

Another  extraordinary  case  indicating  the  sublime  patriotism 
and  loyalty  of  the  Negro  was  that  of  David  H.  Haynes,  a  colored 
farmer  of  Thibodeaux,  Louisiana,  who  subscribed  for  $100,000 
worth  of  the  Fourth  issue  of  Liberty  Bonds  while  fighting  was  at 
its  height,  making  note  of  his  confidence  in  the  Government  and 
his  determination  to  risk  his  all  in  defense  of  the  lofty  purpose  and 
high  ideals  that  caused  America's  entrance  into  the  arena  of  war. 
This  is  said  to  be  the  largest  individual  subscription  made  by  any 
citizen  in  the  state  of  Louisiana  and  was  certainly  the  largest  pur- 
chase of  its  kind  made  in  the  country  by  a  colored  man. 

That  the  Negro  was  a  willing  factor  in  the  war  has  been  so 
convincingly  demonstrated  on  so  many  occasions  that  additional 
evidence  is  scarcely  necessary;  a  striking  case  in  point,  however, 
may  be  noted  in  the  journeying  at  his  own  expense  from  Birming- 
ham, Alabama,  to  Washington,  D.  C,  of  Archie  Neely,  a  stalw^art 
young  colored  American,  to  enlist  in  the  Amiy.  It  was  stated  that 
he  had  been  refused  by  the  Local  Boards  at  his  home,  denied  the 
privilege  of  voluntary  enlistment,  but  was  so  determined  to  battle 
for  Uncle  Sam  that  he  scraped  together  the  necessary  funds  and 
came  to  Washington  to  see  the  officials  of  the  War  Department  in 
person  and  tender  his  services ;  his  personality  was  so  inviting  and 
his  plea  so  effective  that  he  left  the  War  Department  with  a  paper 
authorizing  him  to  proceed  at  once  to  Camp  Meade. 

Another  striking  individual  case  is  that  of  John  Ward,  colored, 
of  Goldsboro,  North  Carolina,  who,  according  to  the  sheriff  of  the 


NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALP:  423 

county,  had  thirteen  (13)  of  his  eighteen  (18)  sons  in  the  United 
States  Army,  while  his  daughters  were  busy  with  war  work. 

Aside  from  the  immensely  valuable  part  perfoimed  by  the  Negro 
press  during  the  war,  representative  colored  men  and  women  in 
every  section  of  the  country  appeared  upon  the  public  platform  and 
delivered  patriotic  addresses  before  countless  audiences  composed 
of  members  of  tlieir  racial  group  with  a  view  of  stimulating  their 
patriotism,  and  to  prevent  any  possibility  of  their  yielding  to  sinis- 
ter influences  which  tended  to  weaken  their  morale.  All  of  them 
seemed  to  realize  the  fact  that  no  matter  how  well  equipped  a  nation 
may  be  in  a  material  way,  it  cannot  win  any  worth-while  victory 
unless  it  is  able  to  maintain  among  all  groups  of  citizens  that  indefin- 
able, spiritual  something  which  is  called  ''MORALE."  In  its  gen- 
eral application  it  is  a  ''moral  condition"  or  a  "mental  state"  which 
renders  a  man  capable  of  endurance  and  of  exhibiting  courage  in  the 
presence  of  danger,  but  in  time  of  war  it  becomes  a  spiritual  force 
which  keeps  men  constant  in  their  devotion  to  their  country's  flag. 
Whether  the  Stars  and  Stripes  was  carried  into  battle  by  Negro 
soldiers  or  held  in  the  hands  of  patriotic  Negro  citizens — during  the 
recent  war  as  in  all  other  wars,  "the  old  flag  never  touched  the 
ground." 

A  Negro's  Idea  of  Loyalty 

Henry  Watterson,  editor  of  the  Louisville  Courier-Journal,  a 
Democratic  newspaper,  published  an  editorial  expression  regard- 
ing the  address  of  a  colored  man  w^hich  was  quite  generally  repub- 
lished throughout  the  country.  The  address  was  also  published  in 
the  Congressional  Record.     Mr.  Watterson  wrote: 

With  all  his  genius  and  culture,  Roscoe  Conkling  Simmons  is  a  Negro. 
His  college  degrees  and  personal  refinement  cannot  change  his  blood  or  color 
or  make  him  one  bit  less  a  member  of  a  race  regarded  as  socially,  econom- 
ically and  mentally  inferior  to  the  white. 

That  Louisville  is  proud  of  him  as  a  citizen;  that  the  Negro  people  of 
the  country  look  to  him  for  leadership  much  as  they  did  to  his  illustrious 
nncle,  Booker  T.  Washington;  that  men  of  prominence  in  the  nation  accord 
him  fellowship  and  a  place  in  high  councils,  does  not  change  his  status. 

For  these  very  reasons,  his  words,  spoken  the  other  day  before  a  gather- 
ing of  his  own  race,  should  spread  a  blush  of  shame  on  the  Caucasian  skins 
of  some  who  are  conspicuous  in  the  eyes  of  the  nation  just  now.    When  men 


424  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  superior  learning  and  vaunted  super-race  connections,  intrusted  with  the 
solemn  duty  of  serving  and  protecting  their  country's  destiny,  join  with 
foreign  tyrant  cut-throats  to  heap  contumely  upon  the  nation  s  head  and  tie 
the  hands  stretched  out  to  protect  the  lives  and  rights  of  Americans;  when 
sniveling  white  pacifists  join  with  all  the  traitor-slacker  crew  to  invite 
national  disgrace  and  ruin,  well  may  this  member  of  an  "inferior  race"  boast: 

"We  have  a  record  to  defend,  but  no  treason,  thank  God,  to  atone  or 
explain.  While  in  chains  we  fought  to  free  white  men — from  Lexington  to 
Carrizal — and  returned  again  to  our  chains.  No  Negro  has  ever  insulted  the 
flag.  No  Negro  ever  struck  dowTi  a  President  of  these  United  States.  No 
Negro  ever  sold  a  military  map  or  secret  to  a  foreign  government.  No  Negro 
ever  ran  under  fii'e  or  lost  an  opportunity  to  serve,  to  fight,  to  bleed  and  to 
die  in  the  republic's  cause.  Accuse  us  of  what  you  will — justly  and  wrongly — 
no  man  can  point  to  a  single  instance  of  our  disloyalty. 

"We  have  but  one  country  and  one  flag,  the  flag  that  set  us  free.  Its 
language  is  our  only  tongue,  and  no  hyphen  bridges  or  qualifies  our  loyalty. 
Today  the  nation  faces  danger  from  a  foreign  foe,  treason  stalks  and  skulks 
up  and  down  our  land.  In  dark  councils  intrigue  is  being  hatched.  I  am  a 
Republican,  but  a  Wilson  Republican.  Woodrow  Wilson  is  my  leader.  What 
he  commands  me  to  do  I  shall  do.  Where  he  commands  me  to  go  I  shall  go. 
If  he  calls  me  to  the  colors,  I  shall  not  ask  whether  my  colonel  is  black  or 
white.  I  shall  be  there  to  pick  out  no  color  except  the  white  of  the  enemy's 
eye.  Grievances  I  have  against  this  people,  against  this  Government.  Injus- 
tice to  me  there  is,  bad  laws  there  are  upon  the  statute  books,  but  in  this 
hour  of  peril  I  forget — and  you  must  forget — all  thoughts  of  self  or  race  or 
creed  or  politics  or  color.     That,  hoys,  is  loyalty." 

That  this  address  was  a  notable  piece  of  diction  and  oratory  means  little, 
save  as  a  tribute  to  the  talent  and  erudition  of  its  author  and  an  augury  of 
what  maj''  come  from  others  of  his  race  when  given  his  opportunities.  As  a 
rebuke  to  the  traitors  and  Americans  not  worthy  of  the  name  it  deserves  the 
widest  reading,  while  such  white  men  as  La  Follette,  Stone,  0 'Gorman,  Var- 
daman,  Works,  Bryan  and  all  their  ilk,  instead,  perhaps,  of  being  tarred  and 
feathered  black,  should  be  forced  to  read  these  words  of  a  black  man. 

Negro  Love  for  the  United  States 
In  one  of  his  interesting  letters  from  France,  Ealph  W.  Tyler, 

the  accredited  representative  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Infonna- 

tion,  wrote  as  follows : 

**For  some  time,  prior  to  sailing  for  France,  I  was  cognizant 

of  a  veiy  general  belief  that  many  of  the  colored  soldiers  here  in 

France,  because  of  the  unrestricted  freedom  and  absolute  equality 


NEGRO  LOYALTY  AND  MORALE  425 

doled  out  cheerfully  to  all  people  of  the  Allies,  without  respect  to 
color,  would  locate  here  after  the  war.  I  have  interviewed  hundreds 
of  the  boys,  and  I  have  not  found  one  who  expressed  a  desire  to 
remain  here.  This  reluctance  to  remain  in  France  longer  than  the 
close  of  the  war  is  no  reflectior  upon  La  Belle  France,  but  rather  a 
high  testimony  to  the  loyalty  of  the  colored  man  to  his  own  and 
native  land.  I  have  talked  with  colored  men  who  came  from  Dr. 
Vernon's  *' Everglades  of  Florida";  with  many  who  came  from  the 
State  of  Texas,  made  famous  so  far  as  colored  men  are  concerned, 
by  Emmett  J.  Scott,  the  achieving  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary 
of  War;  with  those  from  Alabama,  known  principally  because  of  the 
fact  that  the  late  Dr.  Booker  T.  Washington  laid  the  foundation 
for  his  fame  there.  I  have  talked  with  many  from  Mississippi, 
Georgia,  and  other  Southern  States,  and,  without  exception,  all,  while 
willing  to  remain  here  until  German  militarism  is  crushed,  want  to 
get  back  'home'  to  the  States  as  soon  as  peace  is  declared.  The 
burden  of  their  song  is:  'My  country!  Right  or  wrong,  my  coun- 
try!'   'With  all  thy  faults,  I  love  thee  still.' 

"To  me  this  eagerness,  on  the  part  of  colored  soldiers,  in  the 
face  of  the  absolutely  unrestricted  freedom  offered  them  by  France, 
and  while  willing  cheerfully  to  remain  here,  and  die  here  if  neces- 
sary, to  secure  world  democracy,  is  the  finest  possible  testimony  to 
the  loyalty  to  their  country — the  United  States — of  the  175,000  col- 
ored soldiers  ivJio  are  now  in  the  service  of  their  country  on  French 
soil.  To  a  man  they  will  return  to  the  States  as  gladly  as  they  em- 
barked for  France. 

' '  Those  of  the  race  back  in  the  States  who  complain  because  of 
a  restricted  sugar  and  flour  allowance,  etc.,  but  who,  nevertheless, 
enjoy  Sundays  and  holidays  for  themselves  as  days  bereft  of  work, 
perhaps  would  not  complain  were  they  over  here  at  the  front  where 
there  is  neither  rest  nor  Sundays  for  the  boys  who  must  fight  and 
work  seven  days  in  the  week,  rain  or  shine,  hot  or  cold.  But  these 
boys  over  here  accept  most  cheerfully  the  inclusion  of  Sundays 
and  holidays  as  duty  days,  and  rain  and  cold  as  no  excuse  for  relief 
from  work  and  fight — a  necessity,  now,  to  achieve  world  democracy. 
The  colored  men  of  this  Division,  commissioned  officers  and  men  in 
the  ranks,  I  find,  are  anxious  to  contribute  their  mite  and  their 
MIGHT  to  maintain  the  best  traditions  of  the  American  Army. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XXX 

DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL? 

Reports  of  Widespread  Discrimination  and  Harsh  Treatment  in 
Camp — Many  Manifestations  of  Prejudice  by  White  Officers — 
The  Question  of  White  or  Negro  Officers  for  Negro  Regi- 
ments— Higher  Officers  of  the  Army  Usually  Fair — Disinclina- 
tion to  Utilize  Colored  Nurses  and  Colored  Medical  Men — Sec- 
retary Baker's  Efforts  to  Prevent  Race  Discrimi/nation— 
Reports  of  Negro  Observers  on  Conditions  Overseas. 

In  discussing  the  question,  *'Did  tlie  Negro  soldier  get  a  square 
deal?"  it  is  pertinent,  first,  to  show  the  occasion  for  the  inquiry,  and, 
incidentally,  such  worthy  purpose  as  will  be  sei-^^ed  by  the  treatment 
of  that  question  in  this  volume.  It  is  a  question  that  has  been  re- 
peatedly suggested  by  articles  and  editorials,  reports  of  war  corre- 
epondents,  and  the  like,  which  have  appeared  in  the  Negro  press  and 
other  publications  of  the  country,  based  upon  information  received 
from  various  sources,  including  letters  of  criticism  written  by  Negro 
soldiers  and  officers,  chaplains,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretaries,  special  in- 
vestigators, and  others,  concerning  conditions  among  Negro  soldiers 
in  camps  at  home  as  well  as  overseas,  and,  in  some  cases,  based  upon 
official  orders  that  have  been  issued  with  reference  to  Negro  soldiers 
in  the  Army  of  the  United  States. 

It  is  a  question  necessarily  affecting  the  morale  of  colored  Amer- 
icans which  must  be  frankly  met  and  impartially  considered.  To 
dodge  it  would  be  unworthy  of  an  honest  historian  whose  duty  it  is 
to  chronicle  facts,  and  might  deny  to  the  Negro  race  and  also  the 
Government  the  opportunity  of  learning  some  valuable  lessons  from 
the  war,  of  mutual  profit  not  only  in  the  present  but  possibly  in  the 
future.  Therefore  its  discussion  in  this  volume  has  a  three-fold 
purpose:  (1)  To  enable  colored  Americans  to  know  the  truth  about 
conditions  which  existed  among  soldiers  of  their  race  during  the 
war;  (2)  to  correct  certain  false  impressions  which  have  been  made 
upon  the  minds  and  hearts  of  colored  Americans  based,  in  some  in- 

426 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         42? 

stances  at  least,  upon  certain  exaggerated,  erroneous,  and  incomplete 
statements  they  may  have  read  or  heard  with  reference  to  such  con- 
ditions and  which  impressions,  unless  corrected,  are  capable  of 
working  serious  harm;  (3)  to  disclose  what  opportunities  were  ac- 
corded, and  what  measure  of  justice  was  meted  out  to  Negro  soldiers, 
officers,  and  war  workers  by  the  War  Department  and  by  others  in 
authority. 

A  grave  mistake  cam,  he  made  by  any  one  who  looks  only  on  one 
side  of  a  question!  While  it  has  been  the  consistent  policy  of  the 
Special  Assistant  never  to  condone  nor  minimize  wrong  or  injustice 
in  any  form  or  wherever  found,  yet  it  is  no  less  important  that  we 
should  never  be  so  completely  absorbed  and  overwhehned  with  our 
grievances  that  we  cannot  find  time  and  have  vision  to  * '  look  on  the 
other  side  of  the  shield," — thereby  gaining  encouragement  and 
strength  to  fight  for  improved  conditions.  Therefore,  it  is  hoped 
that  the  frank  discussion  contained  in  this  chapter  will  make  for  a 
better  understanding  between  the  Negro  and  the  Government  he  has 
served  so  well.  May  it  also  tend  toward  the  adoption  of  a  better 
attitude  and  policy  on  the  part  of  the  Goveniment  toward  the  Negro 
soldier  and  citizen  and,  at  the  same  time,  enable  colored  Americans 
generally  to  properly  appreciate  the  difficulties  which  were  con- 
fronted, as  well  as  the  measure  of  justice  which  was  attempted  and 
meted  out  by  the  Government  during  the  recent  war,  which  involved 
the  handling  of  millions  of  men. 

Instances  of  Unfair  Treatment 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  majority  of  Negro  soldiers  were 
conunanded  largely  by  white  men  and  the  records  which  they  will 
finally  make  will  most  likely  defend  their  own  side  of  the  case,  it  will 
be  difficult  to  bring  a  majority  of  the  white  people  of  the  country 
around  to  the  position  of  thinking  that  the  treatment  of  Negro  sol- 
diers in  the  Army  was  other  than  honorable.  With  all  those  who  are 
fair-minded,  however,  due  weight  ^vill  be  given  to  the  complainants 
in  the  case,  namely  the  thousands  of  Negro  soldiers  who  complained 
and  protested.  It  must  also  be  remembered  in  this  connection  that 
Army  rules  and  regulations  rigidly  require  all  complaints  to  be  made 
by  a  soldier  through  regular  military  channels, — that  is  through  his 
immediate  commanding  officer,  and,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case. 


428  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

it  becomes  at  times  extremely  difficult  for  a  soldier,  even  though 
unjustly  treated,  to  publish  his  grievances  or  to  obtain  proper  and 
prompt  redress. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  draft,  when  men  were  being  first  called 
to  the  colors,  there  was  much  apprehension  among  Negroes  as  to 
whether  they  would  be  treated  as  other  soldiers  in  the  camps.  The 
manifest  discrimination  practiced  by  various  Local  Draft  Boards 
against  Negro  men  in  many  sections  under  the  Selective  Service 
Law,  together  with  the  almost  certain  knowledge  that  they  would, 
in  many  instances,  be  placed  under  the  command  of  white  officers, 
some  of  whom  at  least,  it  was  feared,  would  not  entertain  a  friendly 
and  sympathetic  attitude  toward  them,  increased  their  apprehension. 
The  fact  that  three  Local  Draft  Boards  were  peremptorily  ordered 
removed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  because  of  their  flagrant  injustice 
to  Negro  draftees  is  in  itself  a  '* straw"  which  shows  that  the  wind 
was  blowing  in  the  wrong  direction.  Instances  upon  instances  can 
be  cited  to  show  that  the  Negro  did  not  get  a  ''square  deal"  in  the 
draft ;  in  many  sections  he  contributed  many  more  than  his  quota ;  and 
in  defiance  of  both  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  draft  law,  Negro 
married  men  with  large  families  to  support  were  impressed  into 
military  service  regardless  of  their  protests  and  appeals,  and  their 
wives,  children,  and  dependents  suffered  uncalled-for  hardships. 
Local  Draft  Boards,  in  almost  every  instance  composed  exclusively 
of  white  men,  were  in  a  position,  if  so  inclined,  to  show  favoritism  to 
men  of  their  own  race;  the  official  figures  of  the  draft  reveal  the 
fact  that  in  many  sections  of  the  country  exemptions  were  granted 
white  men  who  were  single  with  practically  no  dependents,  while 
Negroes  were  conscripted  into  service  regardless  of  their  urgent  need 
in  Agriculture  or  the  essential  industries,  and  without  considering 
their  family  relations  or  obligations. 

Would  it  not  have  been  eminently  just  and  fair,  and  more  in 
line  with  the  spirit  of  the  American  Constitution,  to  have  granted 
the  Negro  his  rightful  quota  of  representation  on  Local  Draft  Boards 
and  District  Boards  of  Appeal  which  passed  upon  matters  of  such 
vital  consequence  to  himf  This  is  a  question  which  should  be  an- 
swered in  the  affirmative. 

The  Negro  was  ivilling  to  do  his  full  share  of  the  fighting,  but 
the  official  record  shows  that  he  was  called  upon  to  do  more  than  his 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         429 

share  under  the  Draft  Law,  for,  although  constituting  10.7  per  cent 
of  the  total  population  of  the  United  States,  he  contributed  13.08 
per  cent  of  the  total  colored  and  white  inductions  from  June  5,  1917, 
to  November  11,  1918.  He  had  practically  no  representation  upon 
the  Draft  Boards  which  passed  upon  his  appeals — an  arrangement 
which  was  wholly  at  variance  with  the  theory  of  American  institu- 
tions. 

To  catalogue  or  specify  all  of  the  complaints  that  have  come  to 
the  War  Department,  that  have  been  published  in  the  Negro  press, 
and  that  have  been  contained  in  letters  written  to  the  relatives  of 
Negro  soldiers  with  reference  to  unfair  treatment  accorded  them 
would  be  an  almost  endless  task,  and  would  consume  far  more  space 
than  can  possibly  be  allotted  in  this  volume,  but  a  few  typical  ones 
are  given  herein.  They  include  charges  of  harsh  and  even  brutal 
treatment  by  some  of  their  commanding  officers  and  especially  by 
white  "non-coms"  who  were  placed  over  them. 

Colored  Americans  have  deeply  resented  the  *' table  of  organi- 
zation" which  denied  colored  soldiers  the  pri\^lege  of  serving  as 
non-commissioned  officers  over  men  of  their  own  race.  It  was  fur- 
ther alleged  in  numerous  cases  that  white  officers  and  white  "non- 
coms"  required  of  them  unusually  hard  tasks  under  the  most  trying 
circumstances  and  frequently  cursed  them,  beat  them,  domineered 
over  them  as  if  they  w^ere  "slaves"  instead  of  fellows  in  a  common 
cause,  and  applied  to  them  all  manner  of  epithets  and  opprobrious 
terms  such  as  "nigger,"  "darkey,"  "coon,"  and  other  more  objec- 
tionable terms.  A  lack  of  medical  care  and  proper  nursing,  inferior 
food,  clothing,  and  sleeping  accommodations  were  also  alleged.  In 
one  camp  in  Virginia  it  was  actually  found  that  no  adequate  facilities 
whatsoever  had  beeu  provided  for  Negro  soldiers  who  were  sick; 
they  were  huddled  together,  fourteen,  sixteen  and  eighteen  in  one 
tent,  without  any  wooden  floors  in  the  tents,  although  it  was  in  the 
midst  of  the  cold  winter  of  1917,  and  with  practically  no  hospital 
accommodations.  The  official  record  of  conditions  then  obtaining  at 
Camp  Hill,  Virginia,  conclusively  proves  that  the  Negro  soldier 
did  not  get  a  square  deal  at  that  particular  camp,  at  that  particular 
time,  for  white  soldiers  had  ample  hospital  accommodations,  suitable 
barracks  or  floors  in  their  tents,  and  w^ere  not  huddled  together  as 
were  the  Negro  soldiers,  whose  abnormally  high  de-ath  rate,  due  to 


430  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

pneumonia,  was  directly  traceable  to  the  unfair  conditions  they  were 
forced  to  endure. 

Similar  disparities  between  accommodations  provided  for  white 
and  colored  soldiers  occurred  at  other  camps  and  occasioned  con- 
siderable complaint.  Perhaps,  however,  nothing  contributed  so  much 
to  friction  in  the  Army  a^  did  the  assignment  of,  and  the  wrongful 
attitude  manifested  by  white  "non-coms"  who  served  in  connection 
with  Negro  troops. 

Comments  by  the  White  Press 

Not  only  did  the  Negro  press  notice,  and  protest  against  various 
indignities  visited  upon  Negro  soldiers,  but  many  of  the  white  news- 
papers made  comments  thereupon.  An  editorial  in  the  New  York 
World  read  in  part  as  follows : 

"It  is  our  claim  that  we  are  fighting  this  war  to  make  the  world 
safe  for  DEMOCRACY.  Democracy  implies  equality  of  privilege 
and  equal  obligation  of  service.  If  tve  fight  for  this  for  the  world  in 
general  we  ought  to  be  prepared  to  pra-ctice  it  among  ourselves.  At 
present  we  mingle  democracy  with  di'Scriminutio')is.  All  the  elements 
of  our  citizenship  do  not  stand  on  the  same  level.  But  there  is  no  way 
of  evading  the  fact  that  under  a  modem  military  regime — one  of  uni- 
versal service — all  elements  of  our  citizenship  must  stamd  on  the  same 
level.  No  distinction  can  be  drawn  in  applying  the  military  code 
between  white  soldiers  and  black  soldiers,  between  white  officers  and 
black  officers.  They  are  all  fighting  for  the  sams  caiise  and  d^eserve 
the  same  credit  for  doing  so.  Yet,  only  the  other  day  a  Negi'o  officer 
revisiting  his  home  in  Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  was  counseled  by 
friends  to  put  on  civilian  clothes,  for  fear  that  he  might  be  mobbed 
if  he  appeared  on  the  streets  in  the  uniform  of  a  United  States  Army 
officer.  *  *  *  The  Government  is  telling  all  Americans  that  they 
have  an  equal  stake  in  the  war.  All  are  invited  to  put  their  energies 
and  resources  into  a  conunon  pool.  But  if  the  enterprise  is  common 
and  the  burdens  are  common,  the  glory  must  also  be  common. '  * 

It  has  been  reliably  reported  that  Lieutenant  Joseph  B.  Saun- 
ders, the  NegTo  army  officer  evidently  referred  to  in  the  article  just 
quoted,  was  abused,  knocked  off  the  sidewalk,  and  set  upon  by  certain 
residents  or  citizens  of  Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  where  he  had  gone  to 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?  431 

visit  his  parents;  and  compelled  to  remove  his  uniform  and  escape 
from  that  city  in  disguise  to  avoid  mob  violence. 

The  effort  to  humiliate  Negro  officers  and  to  either  prevent  or 
limit  their  utilization  in  the  Army  assumed  what  appeared  to  be  a 
decidedly  organized  form.  In  the  first  place  the  West  Point  officers' 
group  seemed  to  look  with  resentment  upon  all  army  officers  who, 
after  a  few  months'  intensive  training  in  camp  were  awarded  the 
same  commissions  for  which  they  had  had  to  sudy  four  years  at  the 
West  Point  Military  Academy,  and  they  seemed  especially  disinclined 
to  regard  favorably  colored  officers  so  easily  elevated  to  their  rank. 

The  colored  people  had  cause  to  feel  that  there  seemed  to  be  a 
common  understanding  in  many  quarters  that,  wherever  possible, 
the  Negro  officer  should  be  discredited  and  that  the  Negro  soldier 
should  be  praised  only  for  what  he  did  when  led  by  white  officers. 
To  get  rid  of  the  Negro  officers  serving  overseas,  the  plan  was 
usually  that  set  forth  in  the  following  document: 

FROM:  The  Commanding  Officer,  372nd  Infantry. 

TO:  The  Commanding  General,  American  Expeditionary  Forces. 

SUBJECT:     Replacement  of  colored  officei^  by  white  officers. 

1.  Request  that  colored  officers  of  this  regiment  be  replaced  by  white 
officers  for  the  following  reasons : 

First:  The  racial  distinctions  which  are  recognized  in  civilian  life  nat- 
urally continue  to  be  recognized  in  the  military  life  and  present  a  formidable 
barrier  to  the  existence  of  that  feeling  of  comradeship  which  is  essential  to 
mutual  confidence  and  esprit  de  corps. 

Second:  With  a  few  exceptions  there  is  a  characteristic  tendency 
among  colored  officers  t-o  neglect  the  welfare  of  their  men  and  to  perform 
their  duties  in  a  perfunctory  manner.  They  are  lacking  in  initiative. 
These  defects  entail  a  constant  supervision  and  attention  to  petty  details  by 
battalion  commanders  and  other  senior  officers  which  distract  their  atten- 
tion from  their  wider  duties ;  with  harmful  results. 

2.  To  facilitate  the  desired  readjustment  of  official  personnel  it  is 
recommended : 

(A)  That  no  colored  officers  be  forwarded  to  this  regiment,  replace- 
ments or  otherwise. 

(B)  That  officers  removed  upon  recommendation  of  efficiency  boards 
be  promptly  replaced  by  white  officers  of  Like  grade.  But,  if  white  officers 
are  not  available  as  replaeements,  white  officers  of  lower  grades  be  for- 
warded instead. 


432  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

(C)  That  the  opportunity  be  afforded  to  transfer  the  remaining  col- 
ored combat  officer  personnel  to  labor  organizations  or  to  replacement  units 
for  other  colored  combat  organizations  according  to  their  suitability. 

3.  Reference  letter  No.  616-3s  written  by  Commanding  General  157th 
D.  I.  on  the  subject  August  21,  1918,  and  forwarded  to  your  office  through 
military  channels. 

(Signed)     Herschel  Tupes, 

Colonel,  372nd  Infantry. 
Received  A.  G.  0. 
26th  Aug.,  1918. 

G.  H.  Q.,  A.  E.  F. 

1st  Ind.  {Endorsement.) 
G.  H.  Q.,  A.  E.  F.,  France,  August  28,  1918. 
To  Commanding  Officer,  372nd  Infantry,  A.  E.  F. 

1.  Returned. 

2.  Paragraph  two  is  approved. 

3.  You  will  submit  by  special  courier  requisition  for  white  officers  to 
replace  officers  relieved  upon  the  recommendation  of  efficiency  board. 

4.  You  will  submit  list  of  names  of  officers  that  you  recommend  to  be 
transferred  to  labor  organization  or  to  replacement  units  for  other  colored 
combat  organizations;  stating  in  each  case  the  qualifications  of  the  officers 
recommended. 

By  Command  of  General  Pershing : 

(Signed)     W.  P.  Bennett,  Adjutant  General. 
2nd  hid.  {Endorsement.) 
Hq.  372nd  Infantry,  S.  P.,  179,  France,  September  4,  1918. 
To  Commanding  General,  A.  E,  F.,  France. 

1.  Requisition  in  compliance  with  par.  3,  1st  Ind.,  is  enclosed  herewith. 
Special  attention  is  invited  to  the  filling  of  two  original  vacancies  by 
appointment. 

In  the  carrying  out  of  these  apparently  well-matured  plans, 
various  Negro  officers  were  cited  to  appear  before  Efficiency  Boards, 
and  in  practically  every  case  the  decision  seemed  to  go  against 
them.  Those  pronounced  'inefficient"  were  easily  disposed  of 
and  when  the  question  arose  as  to  how  their  positions  might  be 
filled  there  was  not  in  France  every  time  a  sufficiency  of  Negro 
officers  in  reserve  for  this  purpose.  The  military  staff  then  availed 
themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  make  the  claim  that  inasmuch 
as  additional  Negro  officers  w^ere  not  available,  and  white  officers 
would  not  serve  in  the  same  regiment  with  Negro  officers,  it  w^as 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         433 

necessary  to  turn  over  the  command  entirely  to  white  officers. 
Only  in  rarely  exceptional  cases  were  any  of  the  colored  ofiScers 
promoted  while  overseas. 

In  keeping  with  the  prevailing  custom  at  that  time  of  dis- 
crediting Negro  officers,  desperate  efforts  were  made,  it  seemed, 
to  show  the  unusual  efficiency  of  Negro  soldiers  when  led  by  white 
officers,  and  their  inefficiency  when  led  by  officers  of  their  own 
race.  Negro  officers  were  often  charged  with  "cowardice"  in 
spite  of  demonstrated  valor  of  Negro  troops  in  all  the  wars  of  the 
Republic.  Such  a  complaint  was  brought  against  four  Negro 
officers  of  the  368th  Infantry,  who  uniformly  stated  that  they  re- 
treated only  when  they  found  themselves  surrounded  by  barbed- 
wire  entanglements  with  the  enemy  using  machine  guns  with  deadly 
effect,  and  when  they  themselves  had  no  wire  cutters  and  other 
implements  necessarj'  to  extricate  them  from  such  a  dangerous 
position.  They  were  without  maps,  without  hand  grenades,  and 
lacked  sufficient  ammunition.  Their  Major,  a  white  officer  supposed 
to  be  leading  them,  was  nowhere  to  be  found  during  the  engage- 
ment. Two  of  the  colored  Captains,  according  to  Ralph  "\V.  Tyler, 
special  war  correspondent — after  they  had  gone  over  the  top  and 
had  run  into  a  nest  of  machine  guns — turned  back  and  asked  for 
support  and  got  the  Third  battalion.  But  they  could  not  get  in 
touch  with  their  Major,  who  had  gone  to  the  rear  "somewhere" 
immediately  after  the  engagement  got  hot,  thus  preventing  com- 
pany commanders  from  connecting  with  him  to  secure  orders.  The 
Major,  however,  because  of  the  failure  of  the  engagement,  under 
such  circumstances,  charged  the  colored  officers  with  cowardice 
and  inefficiency.  Seemingly  as  a  reward  for  his  shifting  the  blame 
so  successfully,  he  was  a  few  days  thereafter  raised  to  the  rank 
of  Lieutenant  Colonel  and  given  command  of  a  colored  regiment. 
Too  many  Negro  officers  and  soldiers  won  the  Croix  de  Guerre, 
Distinguished  Service  Medals  or  Crosses,  etc.,  to  lend  any  color  to 
the  charge  that  Negro  officers  were  inefficient  or  cowards. 

The  Case  of  the  92nd  Division 

In    connection   with   the    organization    of    tho    92nd    Division, 
made  up  entirely  of  colored  units,  a  certain  measure  of  injustice 


434  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

was  involved  in  that  the  official  order  creating  tMt  Divisioti  rec- 
ognized the  color  line  as  such,  and  specifically  provided  that  colored 
men,  however  capable,  were  not  to  be  permitted  to  hold  certain 
positions  as  officers  of  said  Division.  It  practically  announced 
to  them,  so  far  as  their  militaiy  opportunity  was  concerned :  ^'Thus 
far  shalt  thou  go,  and  no  farther/'    The  order  was  as  follows: 

WAE  DEPAETMEXT  TELEGRA^I. 

Washington,  October  26,  1917. 
Commanding  General, 

Camp  Funston,  Kansas : 

The  Ninety-Second  Division  (colored),  with  headquarters  at  Camp 
Funston,  Kansas,  will  be  organized  at  that  place,  and  Brigadier-Greneral 
C.  C.  BaUou  has  been  directed  to  proceed  wdth  his  authorized  aides  to  that 
place  and  organize  following  troops  from  white  oflScers,  who  will  be  directed 
to  report  to  him  and  from  colored  officers  and  men  who  will  be  designated 
by  you  to  report  to  him;  Division  Headquarters,  including  Headquarters 
Troops,  Three  Hundred'  Forty-Ninth  Machine  Gun  Battalion,  four  com- 
panies, Division  Trains  to  include :  Three  Hundred  Seventeenth  Head- 
quarters and  Military  Police,  Ammunition  Train,  Supply  Motor  Train, 
Engineer  Train  and  Sanitary  Train.  Follmving  officers  of  Division  wiU  he 
white:  All  officers  of  general  and  Field  rank,  such  medical  officers  and 
veterinarians  as  the  Surgeon-General  may  designate,  all  officers  attached 
to  Division  Headquarters,  except  the  Lieutenants  of  the  Headquarters 
Troop,  all  Regimental  Adjutants,  Supply  Officers,  commanding  officers  of 
Headquarters  Companies  and  of  Engineer  Train,  Adjutants  of  Train  Head- 
quarters, and  Ammunition  Trains  and  Supply  Officers  of  Sanitary  Train, 
all  captains  of  the  Field  Artillery^  Brigade  and  Engineer  Regiment  and  aides 
to  Brigade  Commanders.  You  will  transfer  to  the  Ninety-Second  Division 
the  necessary  colored  officers  and  men  to  organize  the  units  indicated  above. 

(Signed)     McCain, 
(Adjutant-General.) 

First  Lieutenant  T.  T.  Thompson,  of  Houston,  Texas,  went 
Tip  against  this  rule  in  his  efforts  to  be  appointed  a  Capt-ain  in 
the  Adjutant  General's  Department,  and  to  be  assigned  as  Division 
Personnel  Officer  of  the  92rid  Division;  although  admittedly  com- 
petent and  strongly  recommenderl  by  Major  General  0.  G.  Ballou, 
Commander  of  that  Division — simply  because  he  was  a  colored  man 
whose  promotion  was  specifically  prohibited  by  the  War  Department 
telegram  which  prescnbed  that  a  ''whit^"  man  shctu'ld  cfccnprv'  th'e 


DID  TPIE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?  435 

position  to  which  he  rightfully  aspired,  and  which  position  he  had 
filled  as  Acting  Personnel  Officer  practically  from  the  time  of  the 
organization  of  the  92nd  Division.  The  following  communications 
explain  themselves: 

(Exhibit  "A") 
Headquarters  Ninety-Second  Division. 
Camp  Funston,  Kansas. 
April  30,  1918. 
FROM:  Commanding  General,  92nd  Division. 

TO:  The  Adjutant  General  of  the  Army,  Washington,  D.  C. 

SUBJECT :     Appointment  of  Division  Personnel  Officer. 

1.  It  is  recommended  that  First  Lieutenant  T.  T.  Thompson,  Inf.,  N.  A., 
he  appointed  a  Captain  in  the  Adjutant  General's  Department  and  assigned 
to  this  Division  as  Assistant-Adjutant  to  be  in  cJiarge  of  the  Personnel  Section 
as  authorized  by  the  Tables  of  Organization. 

2.  This  officer  has  been  in  charge  of  the  Personnel  work  of  this  Division 
practically  from  the  time  of  its  orgwnization  and  his  work  lias  been  found  to 
he  thoroughly  satisfactory,  and  his  promotion  is  therefore  recommended  so 
that  he  may  continue  on  his  present  duty  with  adequate  rank. 

(Signed)     C.  C.  Ballou, 

Major-Gr€neral. 

(Exhibit  "B") 

(A  competent  Negro  officer,  officially  prohibited  from  promotion  in  the 

Army,  becomes  discouraged  and  asks  for  an  Honorable  Discharge.) 

Headquarters  Ninety- Second  DnnsioN 

American  Expeditionary  Forces 

A.  P.  0.  766 

October  21, 1918. 
FBOM:  T.  T.  Thompson,  1st  Lt.  Inf.  U.  S.  A. 

TO:  Commanding  General,  92nd  Division,  A.  E.  F. 

SUBJECT:     Discharge. 

1.  Application  is  respectfully  made  herein  for  discharge  from  the  Mili- 
tary  Service  of  the  United  States.  Reasons  for  this  application  may  be  sum- 
marized by  the  following  notations: 

(a)  By  S.  0.  82  Hqs.  92d  Division,  April  25,  1918,  I  was  detailed  a^ 
Acting  Division  Personnel  Officer. 

(b)  By  announcement  of  Di^'i8ion  Adjutant,  the  work  of  the  Personnel 
Department  was  merged  into  and  placed  under  the  head  of  Statisti- 
cal Officer  on  arrival  of  the  Division  overseas  and  I  was  designated 
as  an  assisteait  to  the  Statistical  (Mficer. 


436  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

(c)  Under  this  arrangement  other  officers  were  placed  in  charge  of  the 
work  which  I  had  begun,  SYSTEMATIZED,  AND  BUILT  UP, 
and  I  was  given  a  subordinate  place.  Since  tliat  time  other  officers 
have  been  assigned  and  detailed  to  the  department  and  each  addi- 
tion lowers  me,  but  has  not  lessened  my  work  or  responsibilities. 

(d)  Paragraph  4,  G.  0.  100,  G.  H.  Q.,  A.  E.  F.,  June  20,  1918,  specifies 
that  Personnel  officers  wall  also  perform  the  duties  laid  down  as 
functions  of  Statistical  Officers.  From  which  it  appears  that  where 
a  Division  brings  over  its  Personnel  Officer,  he  is  eligible  to  become 
Statistical  Officer  (not  an  assistant  to  Statistical  Officer). 

(e)  G.  0.  60.  W.  D.,  June  24,  1918,  also  contemplates  that  the  Per- 
sonnel Officer  under  the  change  of  nam.e,  becomes  the  Personnel 
Adjutant.  When  this  order  was  issued,  another  officer  was  desig- 
nated as  Personnel  Adjutant  and  I  was  designated  as  an  assistant. 

2.  Without  questioning  any  of  the  actions  above  mentioned  as  to  fair- 

ness or  wisdom,  I  have  felt  that  each  change  has  advanced  others 
and  lowered  me  and  it  has  discouraged  and  disheartened  me  to 
the  extent  that  I  cannot  work  with  the  same  spirit  as  an  officer  who 
feels  that  he  is  getting  a  square  deal. 

3.  No  one  has  ever  charged  me  with  inefficiency.     As  assistant  to  the 

first  Personnel  Officer,  my  work  was  satisfactory  in  every  respect, 
and  when  I  afterward  relieved  him,  my  work  continued  to  be 
satisfactory  and  was  commended  by  the  commanding  general  of 
the  division. 
The  only  conclusion  I  liave  been  able  to  reach  is  that  others  are 
placed  in  charge  of  the  work  because  I  am  a  Negro,  and  under  the 
plan  of  organization  as  promulgated  in  Memo,  dated  September 
11,  1918,  Headquarters  92nd  Division,  ineligible  to  be  attached  to 
division  headquarters. 

4.  Under  these  circumstances,  and  without  having  had  any  experience 

in  any  other  divisional  branch  of  duty,  I  respectfully  ask  to  be 
discharged. 

(Signed)     T.  T.  Thompson, 
1st  Lt.  Inf.  U.  S.  A.,  Assistant  Personnel  Adjutant. 

(Exhibit   "C") 

(Official  Evidence  showing  how  the  "color  line"  in  the 

Army  decreases  the  Negro's  efficiency.) 

HEADQUARTERS  NINETY-SECOND  DIVISION 
(Copy)  Camp  Funston,  Kansas. 

Forwarded  recommending  approval. 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         437 

This  officer  (Lieutenant  T.  T.  Thompson)  was  originally  assi^ed  to 
duty  as  Acting  Personnel  Officer,  in  which  capacity  he  did  good  work,  and 
was  recommended  to  be  promoted  Captain  with  a  view  to  being  assigned  ta 
duty  as  permanent  Personnel  Officer.  This  was  disapproved  by  the  ^yar  De- 
partyyient  on  the  ground  tJiat  the  Personnel  Officer  should  be  "white." 

Lieutenant  Thompson  was  continued  as  an  assistant,  there  being  no 
other  line  of  work  to  which  he  was  so  well  adapted. 

The  ruling  of  the  War  Department  made  his  advancement  impossible 
and  others  passed  him  as  stated  in  his  letter. 

The  residt  has  been  the  discouragement  and  lessened  efficiency  of  an 
officer  of  considerable  promise,  who  lias  much  justice  on  his  side  in  alleging 
race  discrimination. 

(Signed)     C.  C.  Ballou, 

Commanding  GeneraL 

When  Lieutenant  Thompson  brought  his  case  to  the  attention 
of  the  Special  Assistant  he  took  up  the  matter  with  the  War  De- 
partment, and  received  the  following  reply  from  the  Adjutant 
General's  office: 

MEMORANDUM  for  Mr.  Bmmett  J.  Scott,  Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary 

of  War. 

In  compliance  with  your  memorandum  request  of  March  IQth,  I  have 
had  the  record  in  the  case  of  Lieutenant  Toliver  T,  Thompson  carefully  ex- 
amined and  can  find  no  evidence  of  the  fact  that  he  has  been  discriminated 
against  in  any  way. 

The  instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  War  dated  October  20,  1917,  which 
referred  to  the  organization  of  the  92d  Division  require, 

"That  the  following  officers  of  the  division  be  WHITE: 

(a)  AH  officers  of  General  and  Field  Rank. 

(b)  Such  Medical  officers  and  Veterinarians  as  the  Surgeon  General 
may  decide. 

(c)  All  officers  attached  to  Division  Headquarters  except  the  Lieuten- 
ants of  the  Headquarters  Troop. 

(d)  All  Regimental  Adjutants,  Supply  Officers,  Commanding  Officei-a 
of  Headquarters  Companies  and  of  Engineer  Train,  Adjutants  of 
Train  Headquarters  and  Ammunition  Train,  and  Supply  Officers 
of  Sanitary  Train. 

(e)  All  Captains  of  the  Field  Artillery  Brigade  and  Engineer  Regi- 
ments. 

(f)  Aides  to  Brigade  Commanders." 


438  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

In  view  of  the  above  instnietions  of  the  Secretary  of  "War  dated  October 
20,  1917,  you  will  see  that  the  recommendation  made  on  April  30,  1918,  for 
the  appointment  of  Lieutenant  Thompson  as  Division  Personnel  Officer  was 
in  direct  violation  of  the  above  quoted  orders.  For  this  reason  the  recom- 
mendation was  filed  without  action. 

(Signed)     P.   C.   H.vrris, 

The  Adjutant  General. 
March  12,  1919. 

To  further  the  project  of  eliminating  Negro  officers  from  the 
Army  forever,  it  was  reported  to  the  Special  Assistant,  in  a  letter 
sent  from  France  by  Ealph  W.  Tyler,  the  accredited  Negro  War 
Correspondent  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Information,  that 
Colonel  Allen  J.  Greer  of  the  United  States  Army,  92nd  Division, 
had  addressed  a  letter  to  this  effect  to  Senator  Kenneth  D.  Mc- 
Kellar,  in  violation  of  a  law  which  would  subject  him  to  court- 
martial.  Among  other  things  Colonel  Greer  was  reported  as 
writing : 

"Now  that  a  reorganization  of  the  Army  is  in  prospect,  and  as  aU  officers 
of  the  temporary  forces  have  been  asked  if  they  desire  to  remain  in  the 
Regular  Army,  I  think  /  ouglit  to  bring  a  matter  to  your  attentmi  tJiat  is  of 
vital  importance  not  only  from  a  military  point  of  view,  hut  from  tliat  which 
all  Southerners  have.  I  refer  to  the  question  of  Negro  officers  and  Negro 
troops.  The  records  of  the  Division  will  probably  never  be  given  full  pub- 
licity, but  the  bare  facta  are  facts  about  as  follows.  "We  came  to  France  in 
June,  were  given  seven  weeks  in  training  area  instead  of  four  weeks  in  train- 
ing area  usually  allotted,  then  went  to  a  quiet  sector  of  the  front.  From  there 
we  went  to  the  Argonne  and,  in  the  offensive  starting  there  on  September  26 
(1918)  had  one  regiment  in  the  line,  attached  to  the  38th  French  Corps. 
Iliey  failed  there  in  all  their  missions,  lay  down  and  sneaked  to  the  rear,  until 
they  were  \\'ithdrawTi.  Thirty  of  the  officers  of  this  regiment  alone  were 
reported  either  for  cowardice  or  failure  to  prevent  their  men  from  retreating 
— ^and  this  against  ver>^  little  opposition.  The  French  and  our  white  field 
officers  did  all  that  could  possibly  have  been  done;  but  the  troops  were  im- 
possible. One  of  our  Majors  conunanding  a  battalion  said:  "The  men  are 
rank  cowards ;  there  is  no  other  word  for  it.  During  the  entire  time  we  have 
been  operating,  there  has  never  been  a  single  operation  conducted  by  a  colored 
officer,  where  his  report  did  not  have  to  be  investigated  by  some  field  officer 
to  find  out  what  the  real  facts  were.  Accuracy  and  ability  to  describe  facts 
is  lacking  in  all,  and  most  of  them  are  just  plain  liars  in  addition." 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         439 

This  manifestly  in-ejudiced  statement  by  Colonel  Allen  J. 
Greer  has  been  disproved  m  toto  by  men  who  know  of  the  un- 
questioned valor  of  Negro  troops  and  the  high  percentage  of 
efficiency  obtaining  among  Negro  officers,  many  of  whom  have 
been  awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre  and  Distinguished  Service 
Medals;  it  constitutes  one  of  the  basest  misrepresentations  (born 
of  race  prejudice,  which  he  openly  confesses)  that  were  ever  made 
conoeming  the  efficiency  and  fearlessness  of  Negro  men  in  the 
United  States  Army,  and  is  in  striking  contrast  to  numerous 
views  expressed  by  other  American  and  by  French  officers.  Colonel 
Greer  entirely  overlooked  numerous  citations  to  Negro  men  and 
officers  of  the  92nd  Division  that  he  had  personally  signed  as 
Chief  of  Staff  of  the  92nd  Di\dsion. 

The  Negro  press,  as  a  unit,  vigorously  resented  Colonel  Greer's 
insinuation  that  Negro  officers  and  Negro  troops  were  cowards 
and  incompetents,  and,  in  the  interest  of  national  unity  and 
national  security,  hammered  away  at  injustice  and  racial  dis- 
crimination wherever  it  was  shown.  Typical  of  the  attitude  of 
the  Negro  press,  is  the  following  editorial  comment  from  the 
facile  pen  of  that  veteran  Negi^o  journalist,  John  Mitchell,  editor 
of  The  Richmond  (Ya.)  Planet: 

*' Complaint  is  not  made  of  the  hardships  to  which  our  colored 
troops  were  subjected,  but  on  account  of  discriminations  made  on 
account  of  race  and  color.  They  went  over  there  to  take  a  soldier's 
fare  but  they  did  not  go  over  there  to  feel  the  pangs  of  American 
race  prejudice  in  the  midst  of  a  people  who  made  no  discrimination 
on  account  of  race  or  color." 

The  following  statement  of  the  Negro  officers'  case  comes  from 
Colonel  Charles  Young,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  who  reached 
the  highest  rank  ever  held  by  a  Negro  in  the  United  States  Army. 

Colonel  Young's  Statement 

*'The  black  officer  feels  that  there  was  a  prejudgment  against 
him  at  the  outset,  and  that  nearly  every  move  that  has  been  made 
was  for  the  purpose  of  bolstering  up  his  prejudgment  and  dis- 
crediting him  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  and  the  men  whom  he  was 
to  lead  and  will  lead  in  the  future. 


440  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

''Unpatriotic  and  unwarranted  statements  do  no  good  and 
lull  the  country  to  sleep,  and  throw  it  off  its  guard  while  the 
effects  of  these  statements  are  causing  just  rankling  in  the  breasts 
of  the  Negro  people  who  have  had  a  new  vision. 

"The  Negro  officers  know  the  psychology  of  their  own  race 
and  also  of  the  white  race;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  the  latter  will 
never  know  the  mind  and  motive  forces  of  the  Negro  if  he  imagines 
that  this  group  has  not  had  a  new  birth  in  America,  whose  language 
it  speaks,  whose  thought  it  thinks  for  its  own  betterment,  and 
whose  ideals,  both  social,  political  and  economic,  it  emulates." 

Under  such  circumstances,  therefore,  with  the  Hun  as  an 
enemy  in  front  and  certain  American  army  officials  utilizing  race 
prejudice  as  a  destructive  agency  against  him  in  the  rear,  the 
Negro  officer  seriously  suffered  during  the  World  War,  and  upon 
the  return  from  overseas  of  the  regiments  formerly  commanded 
by  Negroes,  it  was  most  disappointing  to  the  colored  people  in 
the  various  cities  of  this  country  where  parades  were  held,  to  see 
black  men  led  by  white  officers,  their  colored  officers  in  many  cases 
having  been  removed. 

Race  Discrimination  Overseas 

In  keeping  with  this  policy,  there  were  many  instances  of 
color  discrimination  in  France.  On  one  occasion,  after  an  order 
had  been  issued  to  the  eifect  that  certain  Negro  troops  should  be 
carried  on  the  battleship  "Virginia/'  the  executive  officer  requested 
the  Admiral  to  have  these  troops  removed  on  the  ground  that  no 
colored  troops  had  ever  traveled  on  hoard  a  United  States  battle- 
ship. The  Negroes  were  accordingly  removed  to  a  tug  and  sub- 
jected to  unusual  hardships  in  being  brought  back  to  port.  In 
certain  places  where  it  was  sometimes  necessary  for  officers  of 
both  races  belonging  to  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces  to 
eat  together,  peculiar  provisions  were  made  so  as  to  have  Negro 
officers  report  to  certain  quarters,  or  sections  of  the  same  mess- 
room,  inasmuch  as  white  officers  refused  to  sit  at  mess  with  them. 
There  is  ample  evidence  to  show  that  in  most  cases  the  Negro 
officers  had  inferior  accommodations.  On  one  occasion,  in  pro- 
viding for  the  reception  of  General  John  Pershing,  the  Command- 
ing Officer  of  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces,  at  one  of  the 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         441 

forwarding  camps  in  France,  the  order  was  given  that  '^all  troops 
possible  (except  colored)  should  he  under  arms;"  colored  troops, 
who  were  not  at  work,  were  to  be  in  their  quarters  or  in  their  tents, 
according  to  the  command  of  Brigadier  General  Longan. 

This  order,  however,  was  later  revoked,  after  a  firm  protest 
by  Negro  officers  and  men,  and,  as  a  result,  colored  troops  did 
appear  ''under  arms"  in  General  Pershing's  review. 

"With  reference  to  conditions  existing  among  Negro  soldiers 
overseas  and  to  certain  discriminations  which  were  attempted  and 
practiced  against  them,  Lieutenant  Charles  S.  Parker,  of  Spokane, 
Washington,  connected  with  the  366th  Infantry,  and  who  was  the 
only  Negro  who  served  as  a  Regimental  Adjutant  in  the  92nd 
Division,  made  the  following  statement: 

''At  Brest,  France,  a  Memorandum  was  issued  by  the  Com- 
mander of  Zone  Five,  prescribing  mess  hours  for  colored  officers 
(a)  one  hour  earlier  than  the  usual  hour  for  breakfast;  (b)  one 
hour  later  for  the  mid-day  meal,  and  (c)  one  hour  later  for  the 
supper  meal — thus  requiring  colored  soldiers  to  get  up  one  hour 
earlier  in  the  morning  for  their  breakfast  and  to  wait  until  after 
the  tvhite  officers  had  eaten  at  the  other  two  meals.  Before  pub- 
lishing the  order,  I  took  up  the  matter  with  my  Colonel,  stated 
the  injustice  of  the  proposed  arrangement,  and  he  approved  of 
my  taking  the  matter  up  with  the  Company  Headquarters,  at 
which  point  I  had  the  order  revoked.  Thus  it  was  that  the  order 
indicating  separate  hours  for  Negro  officers  and  white  officers  to 
eat,  was  never  published  to  our  command,  though  a  number  of 
the  colored  officers  had  positive  knowledge  of  its  existence.  Like- 
wise, in  the  case  of  the  Order  directing  all  troops,  except  colored 
troops,  to  appear  in  General  Pershing's  review  'under  arms' — 
that  order,  like  other  attempted  discriminations,  was  only  revoked 
after  an  earnest  protest  had  been  made  by  colored  officers.  Also 
at  Brest,  France,  an  order  was  issued,  directing  that  all  Negro 
orderlies  from  colored  units,  who  were  stationed  at  Headquarters, 
should  use  the  open  latrines  which  were  unsheltered  and  which 
made  it  very  disagreeable  during  rainy  weather,  while  orderlies 
from  white  units,  also  stationed  at  Headquarters,  were  permitted 
to  use  the  sheltered  latrines.    When  this  matter  was  taken  up  and 


442  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

properly  protested  against,  the  order  was  revoked  as  being  a 
*  mistake.' 

''The  revocation  of  these  orders  did  much  toward  keeping 
down  friction  between  the  races  in  the  American  army  overseas, 
and  I  attribute  their  cancellation  not  to  any  particular  ability  on 
my  part  as  a  Negro  Regimental  Adjutant,  but  to  the  fact  that  my 
position  put  me  in  close  contact  with  the  white  officers  commanding 
troops  and  I  was  familiar  with  and  could  clearly  represent  to 
them  the  feelings  and  requirements  of  colored  officers  and  colored 
men.  This  only  emphasizes  in  my  mind  the  wisdom  and  justice  of 
appointing  Negro  Regimental  Adjutants  a/rid  Negro  officers  for  all 
Negro  troops,  for  they  and  they  alone,  can  properly  interpret  the 
sentiments  and  needs  of  Negro  soldiers  and  help  maintain  the 
highest  possible  morale  among  them." 

The  humiliation  of  the  Negro  in  France,  however,  was  not 
restricted  to  araiy  circles.  Military  staff  officers  seemed  to  be 
firm  in  the  conviction  that  it  was  necessaiy  to  prejudice  the  minds 
of  the  French  people  against  the  Negroes  in  order  that  they  might 
be  held  down  to  the  same  status  they  had  in  the  United  States. 
General  Ervin,  who  succeeded  General  Ballon  in  the  command  of 
the  92nd  Di^dsion — complying  w^ith  the  wishes  of  his  co-workers — ■ 
issued  among  other  regulations.  Order  No.  40 — a  proclamation  that 
Negroes  should  not  speak  with  or  to  French  women.  Carrying 
out  this  order  the  Military  Police  overseas  undertook  to  arrest 
Negroes  found  talking  to  French  Avomen  wliile  the  white  privates 
and  officers  were  not  molested.  This  led  to  a  serious  misunder- 
standing between  the  French  and  the  Americans  and  to  a  number 
of  brawls  in  wliich  the  w^hite  and  black  soldiers  participated.  In 
addition  to  orders  issued  designed  to  prevent  Negro  soldiers  over- 
seas from  coming  into  social  contact  with  French  civilians,  French 
officers  were  also  advised  not  to  present  any  semblance  of  mixing 
socially  with  Negro  officers,  especially  not  to  eat  with  them,  and 
also  not  to  praise  the  Negro  in  the  presence  of  white  Americans 
for  any  military  action  in  which  he  participated. 

For  instance, — in  order  to  make  such  a  program  as  that  of 
General  Ervin 's  more  successful,  biased  Americans  succeeded  in 
having  issued,  on  August  7,  1918,  from  General  Pershing's  head- 
quarters, through  the  military  mission  stationed  with  the  Amer- 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         443 

ican  army,  certain  secret  information  concerning  black  American 
troops.  This  document  began  with  the  observation  that  ''it  is 
important  for  French  officers  in  command  of  black  American  troops 
to  have  an  idea  as  to  the  position  occupied  by  the  race  in  the  United 
States."  The  Negroes  were  referred  to  as  a  ''menace  of  degen- 
eracy which  had  to  be  prevented  by  the  gulf  established  between 
the  two  races,"  and  especially  so  "because  of  the  fact  that  they 
were  given  to  the  loathsome  vice  of  criminally  assaulting  women, 
as  evidenced  by  the  record,"  they  said,  ''they  had  already  made  in 
France."  The  French  were,  therefore,  called  upon  "not  to  treat 
the  Negroes  with  familiarity  and  indulgence  which  are  matters  of 
grievous  concern  to  Americans  and  an  affront  to  their  national 
policy."  The  Americans,  it  continued,  are  afraid  that  the  blacks 
might  thereby  be  inspired  taith  undesirable  aspirations.  It  was 
carefully  explained  that  although  the  black  man  as  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States  is  regarded  by  the  whites  as  inferior,  with  whom 
relations  of  business  and  service  only  are  possible,  that  the  black 
is  noted  for  his  w^ant  of  intelligence,  lack  of  discretion,  and  lack 
of  civic  and  professional  conscience.  The  French  army  then  was 
advised  to  prevent  the  rise  of  any  pronounced  degree  of  intimacy 
between  French  officers  and  black  officers,  not  to  eat  with  them,  not 
to  shake  hands  or  seek  to  talk  or  meet  with  them  outside  of  the 
requirements  of  military  service.  They  were  a^ked  also  not  to 
commend  too  highly  the  black  American  troops  in  the  presence  of 
tvhite  Americans.  Although  it  is  all  right  to  recognize  the  good 
qualities  and  services  of  black  Americans,  it  must  be  done  in 
moderate  terms,  strictly  in  keeping  with  the  truth. 

French  officers  and  French  civilians,  as  a  rule,  could  not  under- 
stand why  the  black  soldiers  should  not  be  treated  identically  as 
white  American  soldiers;  when  French  officers  were  alone  with 
Negro  officers,  the  latter  were  treated  with  the  utmost  friendliness 
and  consideration,  and  it  was  only  when  in  the  presence  of  Amer- 
ican officers  that  they  reluctantly  observed  the  official  order,  inspired 
by  race  prejudice,  which  positively  forbade  them  from  fraternizing 
with  Negro  soldiers  and  officers.  Thus  it  was  that  race  prejudice 
in  the  Army  was  carried  overseas — to  a  land  where  discriminations 
on  accowit  of  race  or  color  are  neither  practiced  nor  encouraged — 
to  a  land  ivhere  freedom,  liberty,  and  equxility  are  truly  exemplified. 


444  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

When  reports  began  to  come  back  from  France,  in  divers  and 
sundry  ways — alleging  unfair  treatment  of  colored  soldiers,  the 
Special  Assistant  immediately  assembled  these  complaints  and 
brought  them  to  the  attention  of  the  proper  officials  in  the  War 
Department,  including  the  Military  Intelligence  Bureau.  The  Mili- 
tary Intelligence  officers  ferreted  out  a  number  of  these  complaints, 
although  some  of  them  were  contained  in  anonymous  communica- 
tions. AMiile  some  of  them  were  found  to  be  justifiable  and  worthy 
of  corrections,  others  were  found  to  represent  only  the  exaggerated 
statement  of  some  individual  soldier  whose  own  indiscretion  or 
violation  of  militaiy  law  and  regulations  had  brought  upon  him 
the  punishment  or  hardships  concerning  which  he  complained. 
Determined  to  do  his  utmost  to  find  out  the  real  facts  regarding 
conditions  among  Negro  soldiers  in  France,  and  realizing  the 
serious  effect  that  a  continuance  of  such  complaints  would  have 
upon  the  morale  of  colored  soldiers  and  colored  Americans  gener- 
ally, the  author  made  the  following  recommendation  to  the  Com- 
mittee on  Public  Information: 

WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

Washington. 

Au^st  10,  1918. 
Mr.  George  Creel,  Chairman, 

Committee  on  Pubhc  Information, 
No.  10  Jackson  Place,  N.  W., 
Washington,  D.  C. 
Dear  Mr.  Creel : 

Recently  in  a  conference  with  the  Military  Intelligence  Bureau,  the  mat- 
ter was  discussed  of  having  two  or  three  representative  colored  men  go  to 
France  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  investigation  of  the  facts  with  respect 
to  several  important  matters  indicated  herein. 

(1)  A  military  man  who  is  qualified  to  make  a  free  arid  full  investigation 
of  the  general  treatynent  heing  accorded  colored  troops  on  tlie  French  and 
other  fronts.  There  has  been,  and  still  continues,  considerable  propaganda 
and  rumor  to  the  effect  that  colored  soldiers  are  being  mistreated  and  dis- 
criminated against.  Letters  have  come  to  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
and  to  me,  the  same  being  forwarded  by  United  States  Senators  in  some 
instances  to  the  War  Department,  conveying  these  complaints.  The  in- 
formation which  woidd  be  secured  first-hand  by  the  military  man  suggested 
would  be  (under  such  direction  as  you  might  approve)  conveyed  to  the  Negro 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SOUARE  DEAL?         445 

people  of  the  United  States  through  the  Negro  newspapers,  public  meetings, 
public  speakers,  committee  of  one  hundred  of  the  Public  Speaking  Division, 
etc. 

(2)  The  other  representatives,  not  necessarily  military  men,  but  of 
sound  judgment,  capable  of  studying  the  facts  and  co-operating  with  the 
militaiy  representative,  above  referred  to,  in  making  a  full  report  of  existing 
conditions  abroad  with  respect  to  colored  men  at  the  front,  as  well  as  those 
behind  the  lines  (referring  to  sendee  battalions,  stevedore  regiments,  etc.). 

The  joint  testimony  of  these  men  would  satisfactorily  establish  the  facts 
and  enable  us  to  do  a  good  piece  of  work  in  disposing  of  these  damaging 
rumors  which  are  being  continually  circulated.     *     *     * 

TJiere  is  more  depressed  morale  among  tlie  colored  people  tlxan  is  gen- 
erally  supposed,  due  to  stories  of  unfair  treatment  of  colored  men  in  various 
camps  in  America  as  well  as  abroad.  Under  the  circumstances,  I  am  quite 
seriously  of  the  opinion  that  such  a  commission  as  herein  suggested  would 
accomplish  very  great  good. 

An  interview  with  you,  at  your  convenience,  would  be  very  much  appre- 
ciated.   Will  you  kindly  let  me  hear  from  you  directly  or  through  Mr.  Byoir. 

Sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Emmett  J,  Scott, 
WHD  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

Conditions  in  the  Labor  Battalions 

In  the  Labor  Battalions  sent  8,broad  were  impressed  many 
Negroes  who  went  to  the  front  with  the  hope  of  bearing  arms, 
but,  in  conformity  with  the  idea  prevailing  in  some  sections  of 
making  the  Negro  a  laborer  only — thousands  of  Negro  soldiers 
who  had  been  drilled  for  service  at  the  front  were,  for  various 
excuses,  reduced  and  placed  in  these  Labor  Battalions.  Speaking 
of  the  conditions  at  one  camp  a  Negro  officer  reported:  **The 
conditions  are  simply  awful;  mud  everywhere,  leaky  tents  and 
barracks  and  lack  of  sufficient  food  and  proper  toilets.  The  men 
are  worked  hard,  some  at  night  and  others  in  the  day,  rain  or 
shine.  As  a  consequence  there  are  quite  a  number  of  sick  men 
in  our  organization."  The  Fifteenth  Regiment  of  New  York,  for 
example,  was  made  to  render  such  service  for  a  time,  but  was 
finally  placed  in  a  somewhat  quiet  sector  where  it  was  supposed 
they  would  not  have  to  engage  in  hard  military  fighting.  It  turned 
out,  however,  that  the  Germans,  in  their  advance,  attacked  this 
point,  making  it  necessary  for  the  Old  Fifteenth  to  defend  the 


446  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

line,  and  history  shows  that  these  hla-cJc  men  designed  to  play 
the  inconspicuous  role  of  laborers  in  the  luar,  won  for  themselves 
the  greatest  honor  of  the  war  in  that  they  were  the  first  7'egiment 
summoned  as  a  whole  for  citation  by  the  French  Government  be- 
cause of  the  valor  they  displayed  upon  the  battlefield.  Thus,  in 
military  as  well  as  in  civil  life — out  of  trials  and  hardships  there 
often  flow  counterbalancing  benefits  and  unexpected  opportunities 
for  advancement. 

After  the  signing  of  the  Armistice,  it  was  repeatedly  stated 
in  the  Negro  press  and  in  numerous  letters  from  soldiers  and  others 
received  at  Washington,  that  Reserve  Labor  Battalions  and  similar 
military  units  composed  of  colored  men  were  being  kept  in  the 
Army  out  of  proportion  to  the  number  of  white  troops  that  were 
discharged  in  various  camps  through  the  country.  Using  Newport 
News  as  a  typical  case,  and  as  related  by  a  Director  of  Colored 
Work  in  close  touch  with  the  situation,  this  officer  stated:  '*The 
causes  of  unrest  as  heard  from  the  men  themselves  are:  First: 
The  unfair  type  of  white  officers.  The  commanding  officer  is  very 
popular  with  the  men,  but  I  have  heard  no  soldier  speak  a  good 
word  for  the  majority  of  officers  on  his  staff.  Second:  They  resent 
being  kept  in  the  Army  for  the  purpose  of  doing  all  kinds  of  menial 
work  every  day  of  the  week  for  the  good  of  this  section  of  the 
country,  which  they  hate  with  a  holy  hate.  They  say  that  the  war 
is  over  and  why  should  they  be  kept  at  work  on  something  that 
does  not  pertain  to  war;  that  they  enlisted  in  the  Army  to  defeat 
Germany  and  now  that  Germany  is  defeated,  their  job  is  done  and 
they  are  anxious  to  get  back  to  their  families  and  their  normal 
activities.  They  are  the  two  fundamental  causes  of  unrest.  The 
low  morale  is  something  appalling;  the  men  hang  around  in  gToups 
brooding  and  grumbling.  They  are  beginning  to  look  upon  the 
uniforms  as  emblems  of  slavery.  You  can  readily  see  where  this 
condition  of  mind  is  leading  to.  It  strikes  me  that  seeds  of  anarchy 
are  being  planted.  *  *  *  There  is  but  one  remedy  and  that  is 
to  demobilize  them.  To  keep  these  men  here  in  their  present  state 
of  mind  means  two  things — it  is  preparing  the  way  for  serious  dis- 
turbances at  this  particular  point;  and  second,  it  is  implanting  a 
bitterness  in  the  souls  of  these  men  that  will  stay  with  them  as 
long  as   life   lasts.     They   mil   leave   here   with   their   patriotism 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         447 

destroyed,  with  a  stronger  prejudice  against  the  white  race,  and 
contempt  for  the  flag  itself.  For  the  sake  of  these  men's  futures, 
if  for  nothing  else,  they  ought  to  be  sent  away.  The  greatest  in- 
justice that  can  be  done  them  is  to  continue  to  hold  them  and  later 
send  them  back  to  their  homes  with  an  embittered  spirit." 

Attitude  Toward  Colored  Medical  Officers 

Much  dissatisfaction  arose  and  was  voiced  in  the  Negro  press 
and  elsewhere  concerning  the  seeming  disinclination  on  the  part  of 
the  Surgeon  General's  office  to  commission  and  utilize  an  adequate 
number  of  colored  medical  officers  to  minister  to  the  physical  needs 
of  the  400,000  Negroes  who  sei*ved  in  the  Army.  Still  more  resent- 
ment was  felt  and  expressed  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  a  large 
number  of  Negro  physicians,  surgeons  and  dentists  were  not  per- 
mitted to  serve  the  Government  in  their  professional  capacities, 
but  were  drafted  into  service  as  privates,  while  many  white 
physicians,  surgeons,  and  dentists  served,  in  many  instances,  in 
connection  with  Negro  troops.  This  was  considered  not  only  a 
denial  of  their  right  to  serve  as  medical  officers  at  least  in  con- 
nection with  men  of  their  own  race,  but  was  also  regarded  as  an 
unwarranted  reflection  upon  their  professional  ability.  Colored 
Medical  Societies  all  over  the  country  protested  against  the  mani- 
fest policy  of  the  Government  not  to  commission  an  adequate  num- 
ber of  colored  medical  officers  as  well  as  against  the  idea  of  per- 
mitting white  physicians  to  serve  in  connection  with  colored  units, 
and  compelling  many  Negro  physicians  to  serve  as  ''privates." 
Eepeated  efforts  were  made  by  the  author  to  bring  about  the  in- 
creased utilization  of  colored  medical  officers,  but  the  effort  was 
persistently  blocked  by  the  Surgeon  General 's  office,  and  in  response 
to  numerous  Memoranda  sent  to  that  office  in  behalf  of  Negro 
physicians  and  surgeons,  the  Special  Assistant  almost  invariably 
received  the  following  reply:  ''At  the  present  time  there  are  no 
vacancies  in  the  Medical  Corps  to  which  colored  medical  officers 
can  be  assigned,  and  until  such  vacancies  occur,  or  additional 
divisions  of  colored  troops  are  organized,  it  is  not  the  intention  of 
the  Department  to  recommend  the  appointment  of  additional  colored 
medical  officers."  At  the  same  time  these  replies  were  received, 
white  medical  officers  were  serving  in  connection  with  a  number 


448  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  stevedore  regiments,  labor  battalions  and  other  non-combatant 
units  composed  of  colored  men,  while  competent  colored  physicians 
were  serving  as  privates  in  the  Army — some  of  them  in  work 
battalions.  Was  this  a  ''square  deal"  in  the  matter  of  colored 
medical  officers?  A  rightful  quota  of  them  was,  by  no  means, 
commissioned  and  utilized. 

Attitude  Toward  Colored  Nurses 

The  situation  with  regard  to  colored  nurses  was  even  more 
difficult  of  adjustment  and  far  less  satisfactorily  handled.  In  the 
whole  matter  of  trying  to  have  colored  nurses  accepted  in  the  Army 
for  the  purpose  of  nursing  sick  and  wounded  soldiers — especially 
those  of  their  own  race  who  uniformly  preferred  colored  nurses — 
the  whole  situation  (as  will  be  noted  in  the  correspondence  which 
follows)  resolved  itself  into  a  matter  of  "passing  the  buck"  from 
the  Surgeon  General's  office  to  the  American  Red  Cross,  and  from 
the  Eed  Cross  Society  to  the  Surgeon  General's  office.  There  was  a 
manifest  disinclination  to  utilize  colored  nurses,  and  not  because 
they  were  not  competent.  Thus  racial  discrimination  triumphed 
again,  and  although  a  few  colored  nurses  were  assigned  to  half 
a  dozen  or  more  camps,  practically  none  of  them  were  sent  over- 
seas to  nurse  and  minister  to  the  fighting  men  of  their  own  race. 
Was  this  a  "square  deal"  either  for  the  Negro  soldier  or  for  the 
scores  of  competent  nurses  all  over  the  countiy  who  tendered  their 
services  to  the  Government?  The  appended  correspondence  re- 
veals the  "battledore  and  shuttlecock"  policy  which  was  used  in 
shifting  the  blSme  for  the  non-assignment  of  colored  nurses. 

February  14,  1918. 
Referring  to  your  memorandum  of  February  12th,  relative  to  tlie  appoint- 
ment and  training  of  colored  nurses  for  colored  soldiers,  at  the  present  time 
colored  nurses  are  not  being  accepted  for  service  in  tJie  Army  Nurse  Corps, 
as  there  are  no  separate  quarters  available  for  them,  and  it  is  not  deemed 
advisable  to  assign  wliite  and  colored  nurses  to  tlie  same  posts. 

Colored  nurses  who  have  applied  for  admission  to  the  Corps  are  ad\nsed 
to  apply  to  tJie  American  Red  Cross,  as  should  they  be  used  later  in  the  Army 
hospital  of  this  country,  tJiey  will,  in  all  probability,  be  selected  from  tlie 
Red  Cross  list. 

(Signed)    W.  C.  Gobgas, 
Surgeon  General,  U.  S.  Army. 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         449 

It  will  be  noted  in  the  above  communication  that  colored 
nurses  were  directed  to  ''apply  to  the  American  Red  Cross,"  and 
in  the  following  communication  it  is  stated,  by  the  Director  of  the 
Red  Cross  Department  of  Nursing,  that  the  utilization  or  assign- 
ment of  colored  nurses  "after  all  is  a  matter  for  the  Surgeon 
General  to  decide  rather  than  our  office." 

THE  AMERICAN  RED  CROSS 

National  Headquarters, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

January  9th,  1918. 
Mr.  John  M.  Glenn,  General  Director, 
Russell  Sage  Foundation, 
New  York  City. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

The  RED  CROSS  is  entirely  willing  to  enroll  colored  nurses  whenever 
there  is  an  opportunity  for  their  service  in  military  hospitals.  We  com- 
municated with  the  superintendents  of  training  schools  admitting  colored 
pupils,  asking  them  to  submit  the  names  of  graduates  whom  they  would 
recommend  for  Red   Cross  nurses. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  organize  a  Base  Hospital  Unit  com- 
posed of  colored  nurses  only,  and  we  hope  to  do  this  in  connection  with  the 
Lincoln  Hospital  in  New  York  and  with  the  Freedmen's  Hospital,  in  Wash- 
ington. A  cantonment  for  colored  troops  was  originally  planned  at  Des 
Moines,  and  we  hoped  to  utilize  such  a  base  hospital  unit  in  connection  with 
this  cantonment.  The  colored  soldiers  were  later  distributed  throughout  the 
cantonments,  and  there  were  practical  difficulties  in  the  way  of  assigning  the 
colored  nurses  to  duty  with  the  white  nurees. 

The  Surgeon  General's  office  has  been  informed  that  we  have  such  lists 
available,  and  that  these  nurses  can  be  quickly  enrolled,  whenever  there  is  a 
possibility  of  their  assignment  to  duty. 

There  has  never  been  any  question  in  regard  to  our  willingness  to  enroll 
jpolored  nurses  and  the  only  question  is  Jww  best  to  ass^ign  than  to  duty, 
wJiicJi,  after  all  is  a  matter  for  tlte  Surgeon  General  to  decide,  ratJter  fJtan  our 
office. 

This  matter  was  fully  discussed  by  the  National  Committee  on  Red  Cross 
Nursing  Service  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  war,  and  they  unanimously 
agreed  that  whenever  colored  nurses  could  be  used,  they  should  be  enrolled  on 
exactly  the  same  status  as  white  nurses.  It  does  not  seem  desirable,  however, 
to  enroll  them  wthout  reference  to  their  color. 


450  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

I  am  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  send  you  this  explanation. 

Yours  very  truly, 

(Signed)    Jane  A.  DelanO; 
Director,  Department  of  Nursing. 

In  view  of  the  conflicting  circumstances  set  forth  above  with 
reference  to  colored  nurses  in  the  Army,  the  Special  Assistant 
made  an  earnest  effort  to  cure  the  situation,  as  the  following 
Memorandum  will  show: 

February  28,  1918. 
MEMORANDUM  FOR  DEAN  F.  P.  KEPPEL, 
Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 
My  Dear  Dean  Keppel : 

I  confess  my  inability  to  altogether  understand  the  situation  ivitli  refer- 
ence to  the  utilization  of  colored  nurses  during  the  present  war. 

ATTITUDE  OP  THE  BED  CROSS  ORGANIZATION. 

Let  me  put  it  before  you  in  this  way :  The  Bed  Cross  orgmiization  has 
been  industriously  writing  letters  to  the  effect  thai  they  are  perfectly  unUing 
to  enroU  colored  7iurses,  as  will  be  noted  in  the  following  extract  taken  from 
a  letter  written  by  the  Director  of  the  Department  of  Nursing  under  date  of 
January  9,  1918 : 

* '  There  has  never  been  any  question  in  regard  to  our  willingness  to 
enroll  colored  nurses  and  the  only  question  is  liow  best  to  assign  them  to 
duty,  which,  after  aU  is  a  matter  for  the  Surgeon  General  to  decide  rather 
than  our  office. 

"This  matter  was  fully  discussed  by  the  National  Committee  on 
Red  Cross  Nursing  Service  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  war,  and  they 
unanimously  agreed  that  whenever  colored  nurses  could  be  used,  they 
should  be  enrolled  on  exactly  the  same  status  as  white  nurses.  It  does 
not  seem  desirable,  however,  to  enroll  them  without  reference  to  their 
color. ' ' 

This  seems  to  pass  the  matter,  as  you  will  note,  to  the  Surgeon  General. 

ATTITUDE  OF  THE  SURGEON  GENERAL. 

The  Surgeon  General's  attitude  is  reflected  in  his  letter  of  February  14, 
1918,  and  is  stated  as  follows: 

"Referring  to  your  memorandum  of  February  12th  relative  to  the 
appointment  and  training  of  colored  nurses  for  colored  soldiers,  at  the 
present  time  colored  nurses  are  not  being  ac-cepted  for  service  in  the 
Army  Nurse  Corps  as  there  are  no  separate  quarters  available  for  them, 
and  it  is  not  deemed  advisable  to  assign  white  and  colored  nurses  to  the 
same  posts." 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         451 

"Colored  nurses  who  have  applied  for  admission  to  the  Corps  are 
advised  to  apply  to  the  American  Red  Cross  for  enrollment,  as  should 
they  be  used  later  in  the  army  hospitals  of  this  country,  they  will,  in  all 
probability,   be  selected   from   the   Red   Cross  list." 

From  the  above,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  whole  matter  of  utilizing  colored 
nurses  is  still  very  much  "up  in  the  air." 

The  upshot  of  the  whole  matter  is  that,  while  there  are  thousands  of 
colored  men  who  have  been  called  to  the  colors  as  soldiers,  no  colored  nurses 
have  been  admitted  to  the  service  although  quite  a  number  have  enrolled 
with  the  Red  Cross  organization  as  suggested,  and  they,  together  with 
many  more  well-trained,  competent,  and  registered  nurses  are  ready  and 
willing  to  look  after  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  who  are  now  and  soon  will 
be  facing  shot  and  shell  upon  battlefields  abroad. 

I  would  most  earnestly  recommend  that  some  satisfactory  way  be  found 
jthat  will  offer  to  colored  nurses  in  the  Army  Nurse  Corps  and  in  the  Red 
Cross  organization  the  same  opportunity  for  serving  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  as  has  been  so  wisely  and  timely  provided  for  white  nurses. 

Waiving  all  discussion  as  to  the  matter  of  assigning  white  and  colored 
nurses  to  the  same  posts  or  quarters,  it  is  difficult  for  me  to  understand 
!why  some  colored  nurses  have  not  been  given  an  opportunity  to  serve. 

This  vexing  question  is  being  put  to  me  almost  daily  by  colored  news- 
paper editors,  colored  physicians,  surgeons,  etc.,  who  are  constantly  bom- 
barding my  sector  of  the  War  Department,  inquiring  what  has  been  done, 
and  urging  that  something  should  be  done  in  the  direction  of  utilizing  pro- 
fessionally trained  and  efficient  colored  nurses. 

I  recognize  the  "problems,"  but  can't  they  be  solved? 

(Signed)     Emmett  J.  Scott, 
WHD  Special  Assistant, 

Discriminations  in  the  Government  Service 

While  Negro  soldiers  were  fighting  overseas  in  defense  of 
their  country,  race  prejudice  was  denying  to  many  members  of 
their  families  and  dependents  at  home  the  chance  of  earning  a 
livelihood  in  the  Government  service  in  Washington  and  else- 
where. Hundreds  of  instances  can  be  cited  where  Negroes,  even 
after  qualifying  as  eligibles  by  successfully  passing  civil  service 
examinations  for  various  positions  in  the  Government  service, 
were  absolutely  ** turned  down*'  and  denied  appointment — in  many 
cases  after  they  had  been  definitely  certified  for  appointment  by 
the  U.  S.  Civil  Service  Commission  and  had  journeyed  long  dia- 


452  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

tances  from  their  home  cities  to  Washington  in  response  to  notices 
by  mail  or  telegrams  announcing  their  appointment  This  was 
not  only  a  source  of  disappointment  and  chagrin,  as  well  as  finan- 
cial loss,  to  the  individual  Negro  applicant,  but  the  widespread 
prevalence  of  such  an  unjust  policy  constituted  a  serious  menace 
to  the  morale  of  colored  Americans  generally,  who  felt  and  knew 
that  in  this  very  vital  respect,  namely,  the  opportunity  to  earn  a 
living  after  proving  one's  self  fully  qualified,  THEIR  RACE  WAS 
NOT  GETTING  A  ''SQUARE  DEAL."  It  placed  the  Government 
in  the  attitude  of  ''draiving  the  color  line"  in  the  matter  of  em- 
ployment, which  was  never  contemplated  by  the  enactment  of  the 
Civil  Service  law.  The  following  letter  received  by  the  author 
from  Mr.  Archibald  H.  Grimke,  a  member  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Washington  Branch  of  the  National  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Colored  People,  indicates  the  state  of  feeling 
existing  among  colored  Americans  in  this  respect: 

THE  NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  FOR  THE  ADVANCEMENT  OP 

COLORED  PEOPLE 

Washington,  D.  C,  September  17,  1918. 

Dr.  Emmett  J.  Scott, 

Special  Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
War  Department. 

My  dear  Mr.  Scott: 

I  find  in  almost  all  Departments  of  the  Government  discriminations 
against  colored  applicants  for  clerkships.  I  will  name  the  following  where 
this  discrimination  seems  to  flourish,  viz:  The  Quartermaster's  Bureau,  the 
Ordnance  Bureau,  the  Adjutant  General's  Ofifice,  the  W"ar  Risk  Bureau, 
the  U.  S.  Shipping  Board,  the  Civilian  Personnel  Division  of  the  War  De- 
partment, the  Food  and  Animal  Industry  Bureau,  the  U.  S.  Employment 
Bureau. 

I  name  these  merely  because  I  have  had  more  to  do  with  these  in  behalf 
of  colored  applicants  for  clerkships,  but  these  unfortunate  American  citi- 
zens are  up  against  it  hard  all  along  the  line  of  Government  where  they 
come  into  competition  with  white  applicants  for  the  same  jobs.  I  hope  that 
you  with  others  may  find  some  cure  for  this  evil. 

Gratefully  yours, 

(Signed)     ARcmsALD  H.  Gbimke, 

President,  Local  Branch. 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?  453 

In  a  number  of  instances  the  Special  Assistant  was  successful 
in  having  the  rights  of  Negro  applicants  upheld,  but  in  the  large 
majority  of  cases  devious  ways  were  found  to  sidestep  the  civil 
ser\ice  law.  True  it  was  that  Negroes  in  considerable  number  w^ere 
employed  in  various  offices  and  branches  of  the  government  service, 
but  even  then,  in  most  instances,  they  were  segregated  or  ''Jim 
Crow-ed"  and  unnecessary  indignities  were  visited  upon  them. 
While  full  credit  is  given  to  the  number  of  Negroes  who  were 
appointed  to  and  who  rightfully  held  Government  positions  during 
the  war,  the  fact  still  remains,  AND  A  LESSON  WHICH  SHOULD 
BE  LEARNED  FROM,  AND  APPLIED  AFTER  THE  WAR,  that 
it  is  un-American,  inconsistent,  unjust,  and  destructive  of  a  healthy 
morale  for  the  Government,  especially,  to  discriminate  against  any 
group  of  citizens  simply  and  solely  on  account  of  their  race  or  color. 

False  Impressions  and  Evidences  of  Fair  Play 

It  is  wrong  to  assume,  because  the  Negro  soldier  suffered  many 
hardships  during  the  war,  and  was  the  victim  of  various  forms 
of  racial  discrimination,  that  he  was  the  only  one  who  suffered 
and  it  is  manifestly  unfair  to  make  a  wholesale  condemnation  of 
Army  and  Government  officials,  many  of  w^hom  sympathized  with 
his  position  and  were  actively  working  for  his  welfare.  Whit« 
soldiers  and  white  officers  suffered  many  of  the  hardships  of  war 
the  same  as  Negroes  did,  and  many  were  the  complaints  and 
grievances  that  were  registered  by  them  at  the  War  Department. 
\Miile  they  were  exempted  from  many  of  the  racial  discriminations 
hereinabove  recited,  nevertheless  the  kind  of  treatment  they  re- 
ceived was  largely  dependent  upon  the  character  and  temperament 
of  the  superior  officer  under  whom  they  served. 

It  would  be  wholly  unfair  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  his 
Assistants,  to  many  members  of  his  Staff,  to  certain  officials  of  the 
War  Department  and  to  a  number  of  white  officers  in  command 
of  Negro  troops,  if  it  were  not  specifically  stated  that,  on  numerous 
occasions,  impelled  by  a  high  sense  of  justice,  they  actively  indi- 
cated their  earnest  desire  to  give  the  Negro  soldier  ''a  square 
deal,'*  and  it  was  their  consistent  policy  to  rectify,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, all  complaints  that  were  in  their  power  to  remedy.  It  is 
easy  to  substantiate  the  fact  that,  ais  a  rule,  the  ''men  higher  up" 


454  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

in  Army  circles  were  disposed  to  be  fair  and  just  in  their  attitude 
toward  the  Negro  soldier.    . 

The  Secretary  of  War  is  to  be  especially  commended  upon 
his  willingness  at  all  times  to  listen  to  the  pleas  of  the  Special 
Assistant  on  behalf  of  Negro  soldiers  and  to  any  other  matter 
calculated  to  affect  the  morale  of  colored  Americans  generally. 
Not  only  did  he  sympathetically  listen,  but  he  actively  sought  in 
many  ways  to  remedy  the  conditions  concerning  which  complaints 
were  made.  Unfortunately,  however,  in  a  number  of  instances  the 
Secretary  of  War  could  not  give  his  personal  attention  to  every 
complaint  and  had  to  deal  with  "human  instrumentalities"  in 
bringing  things  to  pass,  and  ofttimes  those  ''human  instrumen- 
talities," that  were  expected  to,  and  relied  upon  to  carrj'  out  the 
letter  and  spirit  of  his  purposes,  did  not  synchronize  with  his  own 
high  ideals  of  justice  and  fair  play,  and,  therefore,  in  some  in- 
stances the  desired  result  was  not  obtained. 

No  set  of  men,  in  my  opinion,  could  have  been  fairer  in  their 
general  attitude  toward  the  Negro  people  than  were  those  connected 
with  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  Aside  from  the  splendid 
spirit  of  fair  play  shown  by  Secretary  Baker  and  the  Assistant 
Secretaries  of  War,  his  private  secretaries,  Mr.  Ralph  A.  Hayes, 
and  Mr.  Stanley  King,  aided  in  many  ways  in  securing  prompt 
consideration  and  correction  of  numerous  complaints  and  griev- 
ances. The  office  of  Dr.  F.  P.  Keppel,  Third  Assistant  Secretary 
of  War,  was  especially  charged  with  the  duty  of  looking  after 
many  complaints  and  matters  of  vital  concern  to  colored  soldiers 
and  colored  Americans  generally,  and  not  only  did  he  manifest  a 
keen  interest  in  their  welfare  but,  in  many  cases,  was  successful 
in  translating  that  interest  into  remedial  action. 

In  all  dealings  with  the  Provost  Marshal  General's  Office, 
looking  after  the  interests  of  Negro  men  who  were  drafted  into  the 
Army,  the  Special  Assistant  found  in  every  case  a  disposition  to 
thoroughly  investigate  such  grievances  and  to  carefully  consider 
such  appeals  as  were  presented.  The  Provost  Marshal  General's 
Office  carefully  investigated  and  furnished  to  him,  as  Special 
Assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  full  and  complete  reports  in 
each  and  every  complaint  or  case  referred  to  it  for  attention,  in- 
volving discriminations,  race  prejudice,  erroneous  classification  of 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEAL?         455 

draftees,  etc.,  and  rectified  such  complaints  wherever  it  was  found, 
upon  investigation,  that  there  was  just  ground  for  the  same. 
Especially  in  the  matter  of  appljang  and  carrying  out  the  Selective 
Service  Regulations,  the  Provost  Marshal  General's  oflSce  kept  a 
watchful  eye  upon  certain  local  exemption  boards  which  seemed 
disinclined  to  treat  Negro  draftees  on  the  same  basis  as  other 
Americans  subject  to  the  draft  law.  It  is  an  actual  fact  that  in  a 
number  of  instances  where  flagrant  violations  occurred  in  the 
application  of  the  Draft  Law  to  Negro  men  in  certain  sections  of 
the  country,  local  exemption  boards  were  removed  bodily  and  new 
boards  were  appoint  to  supplant  them.  In  several  instances  these 
new  boards  so  appointed  were  ordered  by  the  Provost  Marshal 
General  to  reclassify  all  colored  men  who  had  been  unlawfully  con- 
scripted into  the  Army  or  who  had  been  wrongly  classified;  as  a 
result  of  this  action,  hundreds  of  colored  men  had  their  complaints 
remedied  and  were  properly  classified.  Of  course,  there  were  a 
number  of  such  worthy  cases  that  were  neither  presented  to  my 
oflSoe,  nor  to  the  office  of  the  Provost  Marshal  General. 

Numbers  of  white  Commanding  Officers  displayed  a  most 
friendly  and  sympathetic  attitude  toward  Negro  soldiers  and 
Negro  officers  and  gave  them  opportunities  to  demonstrate  their 
efficiency  and  to  earn  promotions. 

With  regard  to  overseas  complaints,  as  well  as  complaints 
emanating  from  camps  at  home,  it  seems  not  to  have  been  gen- 
erally known  that  in  the  recent  war,  where  millions  of  men  were 
called  to  sei-ve  in  the  American  Army,  it  was  not  possible  for  the 
Secretary  of  War  or  any  other  one  official  to  read  all  of  the 
complaints  and  grievances  even  if  they  had  been  presented.  The 
fact  that  no  one  person  could  administer  all  of  the  affairs  of  such 
an  immense  Army  was  the  reason  why  all  of  the  camps,  both  home 
and  abroad,  were  ''decentralized,"  that  is  to  say,  the  Camp  Com- 
manders at  home,  and  General  Pershing  abroad  were  practically 
supreme  in  their  own  military  bailiwick,  and  exercised  full  charge 
over  the  handling  and  settling  of  all  such  complaints.  In  previous 
wars,  involving  only  a  few  hundred  thousand  men,  complaints 
were  usually  appealable  to,  and  handled  by  one  central  authority, 
namely  the  War  Department  at  Washington.  It  can,  therefore,  be 
readily  understood  that  the   settlement  of   complaints   made  by 


456  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

soldiers,   whether  black   or  white,   depended   almost  wholly  upon 
the  character  of  officers  under  whom  they  served. 

Not  only  were  about  1,200  Negroes  commissioned  as  Army 
officers,  and  thousands  of  Negro  soldiers  furnished  educational 
opportunities  in  connection  with  Vocational  Detachments  and 
Students'  Army  Training  Corps  located  at  18  or  20  of  the  leading 
colored  institutions  of  the  country,  thus  showing  some  regard  to 
their  mental  qualifications  and  special  adaptabilities,  but  a  number 
of  other  signal  honors  were  conferred  upon  Negro  soldiers  and 
Negro  officers.  For  instance,  it  is  not  generally  known  that  Camp 
Alexander,  at  Newport  News,  Virginia,  tvas  so  named  in  honor  of  a 
Negro  officei^  who  has  served  in  the  Army  of  the  United  States. 
Following  is  a  copy  of  the  Official  Order  conferring  that  honor : 

HEADQUARTERS,  PORT  OF  ITMBARKATION 

Newport  News,  Virginia 

General  Orders  No.  294 

August  15,  1918. 
The  Stevedore  Cantonment  and  the  Labor  Encampments  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  North  Newport  News  will  hereafter  be  known  collectively  as  CAMP 
ALEXANDER,  Ne^vport  News,  Virginia. 

The  above  designation  is  in  honor  of  the  late  Lieutenant  John  E.  Alex- 
ander, 9th  TJ.  8.  Cavalry,  a  colored  graduate  of  tJie  Untied  States  military 
academy,  wJio  served  from  the  time  of  his  graduation  until  hi^  death  as  an 
officer  of  the  army.  A  man  of  ability,  attainments  and  energy,  who  ivas  a 
credit  to  himself,  to  his  race  and  to  tlw  service. 

By  command  of  Brigadier-General  Grote  Hutcheson. 

(Signed)     Daniel  Van  Voorhis, 
Official:  Colonel,  General  Staff, 

C.  W.  Bell,  Chief  of  Staff. 

Colonel,  Adjutant  General, 
Adjutant. 

The  Chief  of  Staff,  General  Peyton  C.  March,  the  Military 
Intelligence  Bureau,  of  which  General  Marlborough  Churchill  was 
the  directing  head,  and  the  morale  section  of  the  office  of  the  Chief 
of  Staff,  of  which  General  E.  L.  Munson  was  in  charge, — all  deserve 
much  credit  for  the  effective  manner  in  which  they  handled  the 
numerous  complaints  of  Negro  soldiers,  Negro  officers,  and 
civilians,  that  were  referred  to  them  for  attention  by  my  office  and 


DID  THE  NEGRO  SOLDIER  GET  A  SQUARE  DEALf  457 

which  reached  them  from  various  other  sources.  Scores  of  such 
complaints  were  ferreted  out  by  them  and,  while  the  methods 
employed  to  cure  the  evils  complained  of  were  necessarily  secret 
and  confidential,  they  were  vitally  helpful  in  remedying  a  number 
of  conditions  tending  to  depress  the  morale  of  colored  soldiers  and 
colored  Americans  generally.  After  taking  definite  steps  to  im- 
prove conditions  among  Negro  soldiers  at  Camp  Alexander,  Va., 
the  Ofiice  of  the  Chief  of  Staff,  Military  Intelligence  Branch,  wrote : 

February  7,  1919. 
Dear  Mr.  Scott: 

Information  has  come  to  this  office  that  the  situation  at  Camp  Alex- 
ander has  gi'eatly  improved  during  the  past  few  weeks. 

An  improvement  both  in  discipline  and  morale  lias  been  noted.  The 
instituting  of  military  drill  seems  to  have  had  a  good  effect  in  the  labor 
battalions,  where  the  men  had  previously  received  no  military  training. 

The  men  seem  to  feel  that  they  are  being  treated  as  soldiers,  and  they 
begin   to  exhibit  soldierly  qualities   in  their   deportment   and   appearance. 

Also  in  a  Memorandum,  under  date  of  February  18,  1919, 
addressed  to  the  Special  Assistant  by  E.  L.  Munson,  Chief  of  the 
Morale  Branch,  the  following  observation  was  made: 

*'One  change  which  proved  very  helpful  to  the  morale,  wcls  the 
transfer  of  a  large  number  of  unsatisfactory  non^co'mm.issioned 
officers  who  were  replaced  by  colored  non-commissioned  officers 
selected  in  their  own  organisations/* 

Major  J.  E.  Spingarn,  Captain  J.  E.  Cutler,  and  othei-s  con- 
nected with  the  Militaiy  Intelligence  branches  of  the  Government 
made  diligent  effort  to  find  out  the  facts  in  every  case  where  com- 
plaint was  made.  They,  together  with  many  officials  of  the  War 
Department,  seemed  to  realise  the  fact  that,  like  the  white  man, 
the  black  man  is  intensely  human;  that  he  thrives  when  his  good 
works  and  worth  are  recognized  and  appreciated,  and  droops  and 
ivilts  when  they  are  disparaged  and  condemned. 

Thus  it  appears  that  while  the  Negro  was,  in  many  instances, 
the  victim  of  racial  discrimination  and  injustice  in  time  of  war, 
yet — by  his  demonstrated  loyalty,  valor,  and  efficiency  in  practically 
every  branch  of  military  service  (to  some  of  which  he  was  reluc- 
tantly admitted),  he  has  proved  his  right  to  be  granted  a  fuller 
measure  of  justice,  respect,  opportunity,  and  fair  play  in  time  of 
peace! 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

WHAT  THE  NEGRO  GOT  OUT  OF  THE  WAR 

A  Keener  Sense  of  His  Rights  and  Privileges  as  a  Citizen  of  the 
United  States — The  Attitude  of  the  South — Returning  Negro 
Soldiers  and  Conditions  in  the  North — The  Attitude  of  Organized 
Labor — Instances  of  Discrimination — The  Black  Man  cmd  His 
Claims  to  Equal  Treatment. 

What  the  Negro  should  get  out  of  the  war  ought  to  be  deter- 
mined largely  by  what  he  put  into  it.  Practically  all  colored  leaders 
of  consequence  felt  that  in  spite  of  the  wrongs  the  race  had  from 
time  immemorial  suffered  every  member  of  the  race  should  be  loyal. 
To  secure  cooperation  to  this  end  special  appeals  were  made  to  the 
colored  people  of  the  country  for  their  unstinted  support.  A  spe- 
cially selected  Committee  of  One  Hundred  colored  speakers  to  whom 
reference  has  been  made,  acting  with  local  groups  everywhere,  was 
appointed  and  materially  assisted  in  the  work  of  maintaining  the 
morale  of  the  Negro  race  throughout  the  war,  the  demobilization 
of  the  army  and  the  reconstruction  of  the  nation  on  a  peace  basis. 

Briefly  stated,  the  Negroes  did  their  full  share  in  the  great 
struggle  to  make  the  world  safe  for  democracy.  Four  hundred 
thousand  Negro  soldiers  were  drafted  or  enlisted  and  200,000  served 
in  France  under  white  ofi&cers  and  1,200  ofificers  of  color.  Negroes 
served  in  all  branches  of  the  military  establishment — the  cavalry, 
infantry,  artillery,  signal  corps,  medical  corps,  aviation  corps,  hos- 
pital corps,  ammunition  trains,  stevedore  regiments,  labor  battalions, 
depot  brigades,  engineer  regiments,  as  regimental  clerks,  sui*\^eyors 
and  draftsmen.  Negro  soldiers  acquitted  themselves  with  honor  in 
the  battles  of  the  Argonne  Forest,  at  Chateau  Thierry,  Belieau 
Wood,  at  St.  Mihiel,  in  Champagne,  in  the  Vosges,  and  at  Metz, 
and  when  the  Armistice  was  signed  Negro  troops  as  has  been  pointed 
out  were  nearest  the  Rhine.  Entire  regiments  of  colored  troops, 
including  the  369th,  370th,  371st,  and  372nd,  were  cited  for  excep- 
tional valor  and  decorated  with  the  French  Croix  de  Guerre.    Groups 

458 


WHAT  THE  NEGRO  GOT  OUT  OP  THE  WAR  459 

of  officers  and  men  of  the  92nd  Division  were  likewise  decorated. 
The  first  battalion  of  the  367th  also  received  the  Croix  de  Guerre. 
Many  individuals  like  Harry  Johnson,  Needham  Roberts,  and 
William  Butler  were  awarded  the  Croix  de  Guerre  and  scores  of 
officers  by  devotion  to  duty  earned,  even  if  they  did  not  receive, 
promotion  in  their  military  units. 

What  has  the  American  Negro  got  out  of  the  war?  Time  alone 
can  bring  the  full  answer  to  this  sweeping  question.  To  some  of 
the  manifold  implications  which  the  query  itself  involves,  however, 
some  answers  can  already  be  made.  For  one  thing,  the  war  has 
brought  to  the  American  Negro  a  keener  and  more  sharply  defined 
consciousness,  not  only  of  his  duties  as  a  citizen,  but  of  his  rights 
and  privileges  as  a  citizen  of  the  United  States.  The  colored  people 
of  America  performed  to  the  utmost  of  their  ability  the  duties  which 
the  war  imposed  upon  all  citizens,  black  and  white  alike. 

A  summary  of  what  the  Negro  wants  may  be  stated :  He  wants 
justice  in  the  courts  substituted  for  lynching,  the  privilege  of  serv- 
ing on  juries,  the  right  to  vote,  and  the  right  to  hold  office  like  other 
citizens.  He  wants,  moreover,  universal  suffrage,  better  educa- 
tional facilities,  the  abolition  of  the  **  Jim  Crow"  car,  discontinuance 
of  unjust  discriminatory  regulations  and  segregation  in  the  various 
departments  of  the  Government,  the  same  military  training  for 
Negro  youths  as  for  white,  the  removal  of  ''dead  lines"  in  the  recog- 
nition of  fitness  for  promotion  in  the  army  and  navy,  the  destruction 
of  the  peonage  system,  an  economic  wage  scale  to  be  applied  to 
whites  and  blacks  alike,  better  housing  conditions  for  Negro  em- 
ployees in  industrial  centers,  better  sanitary  conditions  in  the  Negro 
sections  of  cities,  and  reforms  in  the  Southern  penal  institutions. 
If,  after  having  fulfilled  the  obligations  of  citizenship  Negroes  do 
not  get  these  things,  then  indeed,  they  feel,  will  the  war  have  been 
fought  in  vain. 

Racial  Attitude  of  the  South 

Judging  from  the  favorable  comments  in  Southern  newspapers 
as  to  the  desire  for  more  amicable  relations  between  the  races  and 
the  tendency  of  Southern  whites  to  labor  for  a  new  day  of  brother- 
hood, many  have  thought  that  this  enviable  situation  would  result  as 
a  sequel  of  the  World  War.    In  fact  there  have  been  a  few  instances 


460  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

of  "'3istinguished  white  men  who  have  interfered  in  behalf  of  the 
Negro  soldiers  subjected  to  indignities  on  their  return  from  the  war. 
A  number  of  white  people  on  a  train  refused  to  permit  a  conductor 
to  eject  from  the  passenger  car  resei*ved  for  whites  a  Negro  soldier 
who  returned  from  France  with  his  Croix  de  Guerre  and  Distin- 
guished Service  Medal.  A  Southern  officer  on  one  occasion  boldly 
upbraided  his  people  for  their  failure  to  accord  to  Negro  soldiers 
the  treatment  due  those  who  have  offered  their  lives  to  defend  the 
honor  of  this  country. 

Most  of  the  professed  friendship  for  the  Negro  in  the  South, 
however,  is  largely  an  economic  one,  peculiar  to  the  whites  who  have 
materially  suffered  by  the  migration  of  the  Negroes  and  who  are 
now  very  much  disturbed  by  social  unrest  among  the  thousands  of 
returned  Negro  soldiers  who  find  in  the  South  conditions  too  in- 
tolerable to  be  longer  endured.  The  South  as  a  whole  is  much  dis- 
turbed by  the  question  as  to  whether  these  soldiers  who  got  a  glimpse 
of  real  democracy  in  France  will  patiently  submit  to  the  treatment 
they  received  in  the  South  before  the  World  War.  A  larger  number 
of  Southerners  have  tried  to  bring  about  a  recrudescence  of  the 
Ku  Klux  Klan  to  instill  fear  into  the  hearts  of  these  Negroes,  that 
they  may  keep  the  social  status  assigned  them.  There  are  many 
signs  of  opposition  and  discontent.  Segregation  and  much  ostra- 
cism still  face  the  Negro  and  lynching  is  about  as  rampant  as  ever. 
So  far  as  the  South  is  concerned,  therefore,  it  is  not  yet  known 
whether  or  not  the  Negro  will  benefit  by  the  sacrifices  he  has  made 
for  democracy. 

Conditions  in  the  North 

The  North  too  has  not  been  found  a  paradise  for  the  returning 
Negro  soldiers.  One  hundred  thousand  of  them  have  on  account  of 
conditions  obtaining  in  the  South  declared  that  they  will  not  again 
live  in  that  section.  In  the  North  they  must  crowd  into  cities  already 
grappling  with  the  problems  of  an  increasing  Negro  population  re- 
sulting from  the  migration  during  the  World  War.  One  finds  in  the 
North,  therefore,  some  of  the  same  conditions  obtaining  in  the  South. 
In  Pittsburg  the  whites  posted  threatening  signs  on  the  doors  of  the 
colored  people  declaring  that  the  war  is  over  and  Negroes  must  stay 
in  their  place.    Recently  Cliicago  became  the  scene  of  a  race  riot 


WHAT  THE  NEGRO  GOT  OUT  OF  THE  WAR  461 

between  Negroes  and  whites  who  bore  it  grievously  that  their  com- 
munity is  being  invaded  by  an  increasing  number  of  blacks.  The 
chances  for  employment,  moreover,  have  not  increased.  Unusual 
efforts  have  been  made  to  find  employment  for  the  demobilized  white 
soldiers  but  the  Negro  soldiers  experience  much  difficulty  in  finding 
a  free  opportunity  to  live  in  this  country  for  which  they  so  nobly 
fought. 

In  the  North,  however,  there  is  a  growing  healthy  sentiment  in 
the  interest  of  fair  play.  Many  of  the  best  citizens  contend  that 
tlie  largest  task  of  democracy  is  that  of  keeping  her  own  house  in 
order.  The  mere  talking  about  ideals  and  theories  is  not  so  difficult 
as  to  practice  them.  These  gentlemen  deplore  the  fact  that  race 
prejudice  seems  inbred  in  the  spirit  of  men  and  that  the  claims  of 
aristocracy  make  a  difference  in  one's  feelings  toward  those  who 
seem  to  be  less  fortunately  situated.  Democracy,  they  contend,  must 
be  made  a  reality.  It  must  be  considered  an  ideal  toward  which  we 
struggle  and  we  must  not  grow  impatient  and  discouraged  when  we 
fail  to  realize  it.  Democracy  must  not  find  it  difficult  to  provide  a 
place  for  the  Negro.  He  must  be  treated  with  justice,  his  interests 
must  be  protected,  his  life  must  be  held  precious,  his  children  must 
be  educated,  his  health  must  be  preserved,  and  his  rights  as  an 
American  must  be  defended.  These  things  they  claim  for  the  Negro 
because  of  his  unusual  loyalty,  because  he  is  not  inoculated  with  any 
social  theories,  because  he  does  not  contribute  to  industrial  dis- 
content, because,  above  all,  his  patriotism  is  "without  alloy.  Since 
he  has  made  a  good  soldier,  borne  wounds,  privations  and  death  in 
the  nation's  battles  to  make  the  world  safe  for  democracy,  he  de- 
serves to  find  a  place  for  himself  beneath  the  flag  for  which  he  has 
fought  and  within  the  borders  of  the  country  for  which  he  was 
willing  to  die. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  Negro  faithfully  supported  the 
goverament  he  expected  to  get  a  much  larger  portion  of  the  benefits 
of  democracy  than  was  given  him.  The  Negro  expected  above  all 
that  as  a  fundamental  concession  in  the  adjustment  of  affairs  neces- 
sary for  the  reconstruction  to  herald  a  new  day  for  the  man  farthest 
down,  that  colored  men  would  at  least  be  given  full  opportunity  to 
earn  a  living.  Much  was  expected  from  the  Department  of  Labor 
when  Dr.  George  E.  Haynes  was  appointed  as  a  Director  of  Negro 


462  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Economics  to  mobilize  colored  labor  to  help  win  the  war  and  secure 
for  it  a  higher  position  when  industrial  reconstruction  should  follow 
a  victorious  peace.  When,  however,  the  Department  of  Labor  itself 
drew  the  color  line,  refusing  to  employ  Negroes  for  certain  purposes 
altogether  on  account  of  their  color  and  regardless  of  their  eflSciency, 
this  proposed  good  to  come  to  the  Negro  caused  many  Negroes  to 
call  upon  Dr.  Haynes  to  emulate  the  example  of  the  traditional  Arab 
by  folding  his  tent  and  quietly  stealing  away  back  to  the  schoolroom 
to  teach  the  untutored  of  his  race  the  real  meaning  of  democracy, 
rather  than  permit  himself  to  be  a  party  to  the  camouflage  of  mobiliz- 
ing Negro  labor  of  the  country. 

Attitude  of  Organized  Labor 

The  Negroes  expected  too  that  the  hard  and  fast  rules  of  labor 
organizations  which  have  for  years  barred  men  of  color  from  the 
higher  pursuits  of  labor,  would  be  abrogated.  It  was  believed  that 
there  would  be  new  avenues  for  the  employment  of  Negroes  and  that 
the  so-called  friends  of  Negro  labor  would  be  able  to  effect  more 
than  to  secure  from  trade  unions  mere  expressions  of  interest  in 
behalf  of  the  Negro  laborers.  It  is  unfortunate,  however,  that  the 
Negro  still  finds  himself  refused  admission  to  labor  unions  and  then 
told  that  he  cannot  work  because  he  is  not  a  union  man.  He  is  denied 
the  chance  to  care  for  his  family  properly  and  then  censured  because 
of  his  failure  to  do  so.  In  Northern  States  where  these  restrictions 
have  been  very  rigid  it  has  been  difficult  to  maintain  order.  Almost 
any  day  we  hear  of  reports  that  some  "gang"  is  hunting  Negroes 
with  the  intention  to  do  them  violence  and  disturbances  and  race 
riot&  growing  out  of  these  conditions  are  now  becoming  common. 

The  Negro,  moreover,  was  disappointed  in  his  expectation  to 
get  fair  play  in  the  Civil  Service  of  the  Government.  In  the  midst  of 
the  war,  when  at  an  unusually  heavy  expense  to  the  Government, 
thousands  of  agencies  had  to  be  quickly  established  to  expedite 
military  preparations  as  much  as  possible,  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment found  itself  seriously  suffering  from  a  dearth  of  civil  em- 
ployees in  its  offices.  As  the  demand  was  so  great  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  waive  the  regulations  that  each  should  pass  the  civil  service 
examination,  the  colored  people  instead  of  having  a  larger  oppor- 
tunity seemed  to  be  less  considered  than  formerly.    The  Civil  Service 


WHAT  THE  NEGRO  GOT  OUT  OF  THE  WAR  463 

Commission  has  inaugurated  the  scheme  of  requiring  every  appli- 
cant in  a  civil  service  examination  to  present  his  photograph  so  as 
to  eliminate,  it  is  quite  generally  felt,  the  Negro ;  and  when  the  exam- 
inations were  waived  altogether  their  problem  of  restricting  the 
service  entirely  to  white  people  was  easily  solved. 

Instances  of  Discrimination 

Some  of  these  instances  are  interesting.  Mrs.  Sitka  D.  Thomas 
of  Washington,  D.  C,  and  hundreds  of  others  were  certified  to 
Departments  for  clerical  appointments  but  were  rejected.  One  Miss 
Taylor,  a  graduate  of  Howard  University,  was  certified  numerous 
times  to  various  bureaus  in  the  service,  rejected  16  times  and  finally 
on  personal  appeal  from  her  father  was  given  a  clerical  position  at 
$720  per  annum  when  $1,000  appointments  were  literally  going 
begging.  One  Miss  Roberts,  a  graduate  of  the  Boston  Latin 
School,  was  certified  five  times  as  a  clerk  to  different  bureaus  and 
rejected  every  time.  A  Mr.  Thompson,  now  employed  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  Justice,  w^as  certified  to  the  Ordnance  Bureau,  where  he  was 
told  that  colored  clerks  were  not  wanted.  Miss  Aurelia  Ferguson, 
formerly  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  New  Hampshire,  was 
certified  to  the  War  Department,  but  rejected  on  the  grounds  that 
she  was  already  employed  in  the  civil  service  and  could  not  be  ap- 
pointed to  a  position  paying  a  higher  salary.  She  was  again  certified 
to  the  War  Trade  Board  and  when  she  presented  her  telegram  was 
told  that  '*some  mistake  had  been  made"  as  her  card  could  not  be 
found.  In  April,  1918,  she  was  again  notified  by  telegram  that  she 
had  been  appointed  in  the  Bureau  of  War  Bisk  at  a  salary  of  $1000 
and  that  her  services  were  urgently  needed.  Upon  reporting,  she 
was  again  informed  that  her  card  could  not  be  found.  She  took  up 
the  matter  with  one  of  the  Senators  from  New  Hampshire,  but  he 
was  compelled  in  the  end  to  report  that  nothing  could  be  done  as  it 
seemed  to  be  the  policy  of  that  Bureau  not  to  appoint  colored  clerks, 
— only  a  few  out  of  the  14,000,  or  more,  clerks  are  colored. 

The  Negro  race  and  especially  the  Negro  soldier  expected  that 
in  consideration  of  what  the  race  as  a  whole  did  for  the  winning  of 
the  war,  it  would  receive  more  consideration  in  the  army  when, 
upon  a  revelation  as  to  the  truth  about  the  slander  upon  Negro 


464  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

officers  the  fairminded  people  of  this  country  would  be  convinced  as 
to  the  worth  of  the  Negroes  who  led  their  fellow  men  at  the  front 
and  would  see  to  it  that  hereafter  Negro  troops  be  commanded  by 
Negro  officers.  On  the  contrary,  however,  coming  out  here  and  there 
in  the  army  wherever  the  Negro  officer  has  endeavored  permanently 
to  attach  himself  to  the  service,  have  been  what  appear  to  be  definite 
efforts  to  eliminate  the  Negro  officer  entirely.  As  a  means  to  this 
end  certain  officers  in  charge  of  such  recommendations  have  turned 
doMTi  several  colored  officers  who  were  awarded  medals  of  honor  for 
distinguished  sendee  in  France.  In  the  case  of  Thomas  M.  Dent, 
who  attained  distinction  in  France,  the  prejudiced  officers  in  charge 
undertook  to  brand  him  as  disqualified  *' because  of  qualities  inherent 
in  the  Negro  race  which  make  Negroes  incapable  of  being  leaders 
and  officers."  Upon  appeal  to  the  War  Department,  however,  this 
decision  was  set  aside. 

Not  only  has  there  been  an  effort  to  get  rid  of  the  Negro  officer 
but  in  many  cases  also  the  Negro  private.  "WTien,  after  demobiliza- 
tion of  most  of  the  army,  it  became  necessary  to  call  for  50,000 
volunteers  for  special  duty  it  was  specifically  stated  that  these  volun- 
teers were  to  be  white,  not  Negroes.  Here  was  an  opportunity  to 
show  one 's  patriotism  and  the  Negroes  nobly  volunteered  to  manifest 
theirs,  but  considering  the  opportunity  a  much  more  desirable  one 
than  the  ordinar^^  enlistment  of  soldiers,  it  was  reserved  to  white 
men.  The  Negroes  then,  it  would  seem,  must  be  patriotic,  must 
make  personal  sacrifices  for  the  country,  and  even  give  their  lives  to 
defend  it,  but  they  must  not  expect  to  get  out  of  it  the  same  returns 
which  wiU  come  to  white  men. 

Upon  the  return  to  the  United  States,  the  Negro  soldiers  ex- 
pected that  "Jim  Cro\rism"  and  segregation  would  receive  a  check 
if  not  eliminated  altogether.  The  Negro  soldier  returning  from  the 
front  bore  it  grievously  that  on  arriving  home  he  had  to  ride  in 
''Jim  Crow"  cars,  and  be  excluded  from  the  use  of  public  places. 
Their  contention  is  that  these  places  are  licensed  by  the  Government, 
established  and  often  wholly  maintained  by  it  and,  therefore,  should 
be  accessible  to  all.  They  contended,  moreover,  that  exclusion  from 
these  public  places  often  means  no  such  facilities  for  Negroes  or, 
if  at  all,  decidedly  inferior  accommodations. 


WHAT  THE  NEGRO  GOT  OUT  OP  THE  WAR  465 

Better  Treatment  Demanded 

The  Negro  expected,  too,  a  change  in  the  attitude  of  the  white 
man  toward  the  right  of  the  blacks  to  exercise  the  highest  functions 
of  citizenship.  It  has  required  little  argument  to  convince  the 
Negroes  that  they  are  powerless  in  the  hands  of  the  militant  whites 
when  the  former  can  neither  vote  nor  hold  office.  Relying  then  upon 
principles  long  since  set  forth  by  the  fathers  of  the  Republic  that  the 
men  who  fight  for  the  country  ought  to  share  the  control  of  its  gov- 
ernment, the  Negroes  have  boldly  presented  their  case  to  the  world. 
This  petition  has,  in  most  places,  fallen  upon  deaf  ears.  Instead  of  a 
tendency  to  extend  the  right  of  franchise  there  has  been  something 
like  a  recrudescence,  as  already  stated,  of  the  Ku  Klux  Klan  so  as 
to  intimidate  the  Negroes  of  the  South  that  they  may  not  seek  to 
reach  this  end. 

Intelligent  Negroes,  therefore,  who  got  some  idea  of  the  real 
liberty  in  France  although  they  were  not  permitted  to  enjoy  it  over- 
much, are  united  in  demanding  better  treatment  from  the  American 
people  and  to  this  end  have  organized  a  League  of  Democracy  to 
further  their  interest.  They  will  not  accept  excuses,  they  say ;  they 
will  not  keep  silence,  they  must  be  heard.  They  want  to  enjoy 
the  same  rights  and  privileges  vouchsafed  to  all  other  citizens 
regardless  of  race,  creed,  or  condition.  Americans,  therefore, 
they  hope,  will  oppose  those  enemies  to  democracy  at  home  that  the 
Junkers  were  to  democracy  in  Europe.  There  must  come  a  new 
day,  Negroes  feel,  for  the  United  States  when  the  country  will 
square  itself  with  its  own  conscience  and  with  the  world  in  regard 
to  its  attitude  toward  the  Negroes  in  America. 

It  will  be  interesting,  therefore,  to  understand  exactly  what 
some  of  the  colored  leaders  are  thinking.  A  very  advanced  posi- 
tion has  been  taken  by  Dr.  A.  A.  Graham,  of  Phoebus,  Virginia, 
whose  words  may  be  quoted  here: 

**It  is  necessary  now  as  never  before  that  the  black  man  press 
his  claims  as  an  American  citizen.  He  should  demand  every  right 
which  this  government  owes  to  those  who  maintain  its  life  and 
defend  its  honor.  He  should  be  willing  to  make  no  compromise  of 
any  kind,  nor  be  satisfied  with  anything  less  than  full  justice.  He 
has  paid  the  price  which  all  men  have  had   to  pay  for   liberty 


466  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

within  the  law.  He  has  made  the  supreme  sacrifice  which  entitled 
men  to  every  just  consideration  of  the  government  to  which  they 
pay  allegiance.  His  shortcomings  as  a  man  and  a  human  being 
did  not  excuse  him  from  any  of  the  duties  and  sacred  responsibili- 
ties which  the  government  imposed  upon  those  whom  it  recgonized 
as  worthy  of  its  claim  upon  them.  He  was  called  to  volunteer  when 
the  countiy  was  in  danger,  as  other  men  were  called.  He  was 
conscripted.  He  was  subjected  to  all  the  hard  disciplines  and  ex- 
posures to  death  to  which  other  men  of  the  nation  were  exposed, 
and  as  an  unquestioned  American  citizen,  was  asked  to  support  all 
the  war  program  from  the  purchase  of  savings  stamps  to  the  suf- 
fering and  death  in  the  trenches  and  on  the  battle  field. 

*'No  allowance  was  made  for  his  so-called  inferiority,  and  none 
was  spoken  of.  The  Government  laid  claim  to  him,  both  body  and 
soul,  and  used  him  as  freely  as  if  he  were  the  equal  of  any  other 
man  behind  the  guns  or  who  had  curly  hair  and  blue  eyes.  The 
path  he  had  to  walk  was  just  as  rough,  the  load  he  had  to  carry 
was  just  as  heavy,  and  the  life  he  gave  just  as  sweet,  as  that  of 
any  other  man  who  laid  his  all  upon  the  altar.  He  should  con- 
tend, therefore,  for  eveiy  privilege,  every  comfort,  every  right 
which  other  men  enjoy.  He  should  fight  wrong  and  injustic-e  for 
himself  and  his  children  with  the  very  same  valor  that  he  fought 
the  Hun  for  the  nation,  and  he  should  fight  with  the  same  good 
judgment  and  wisdom." 

The  Negro  as  a  Citizen 

And  in  the  Southwestern  Christian  Advocate,  of  New  Orleans, 
Louisiana,  the  Reverend  Dr.  Eobert  E.  Jones,  an  outstanding  leader 
of  the  Negro  race,  voices  the  sense  of  this  new  recognition  of  the 
Negro's  position  as  a  citizen.    He  says: 

"The  statement  of  Lincoln,  that  this  country  could  not  exist 
half  slave  and  half  free,  has  been  thoroughly  vindicated  by  sub- 
sequent history.  Just  as  that  statement  was  a  true  interpretation 
of  the  life  of  the  American  Republic,  at  the  time  it  was  uttered,  so 
is  a  modern  application  of  that  statement  equally  true.  This 
country  cannot  exist  half  democratic  and  half  autocratic  This 
country  cannot  exist  with  a  part  of  its  citizenship  enjoying  the 
full  privileges  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution,  while  a  large  seg- 


WHAT  THE  NEGRO  GOT  OUT  OF  THE  WAR  467 

ment  of  our  citizenship  is  oppressed,  discriminated  against  and 
hindered  in  many  ways. 

"The  London  Guardian  in  referring  to  a  statement  of  the 
boundary  question  between  Holland  and  Belgium  said  that  in 
ordinary  times  such  questions  would  be  the  making  of  serious 
trouble  and  then  the  Guardian  pertinently  adds,  'The  times,  how- 
ever, are  not  ordinary.'  And  these  are  not  ordinary  times.  They 
are  very  unusual.  The  pot  of  ci^dlization  is  boiling.  Things  are 
to  be  settled,  but  they  will  not  be  settled  unless  they  are  settled 
right.  And  the  Negro  wants  his  status  changed  from  that  of 
practical  peonage  to  that  of  free,  independent  manhood  with  an 
upward  look  and  an  unhindered  pathway.  He  wants  this,  first 
of  all,  on  the  basis  of  his  place  in  the  human  brotherhood  of 
divine  right.  He  wants  this  on  the  basis  of  the  marvelous  progress 
that  he  has  made  in  freedom. 

**It  has  often  been  said  that  no  race  in  all  history  matches 
the  progress  in  the  same  length  of  time  of  the  Negro  race  during 
the  past  50  years.  He  wants  it  by  the  revelation  of  his  soul 
life  as  shown  forth  in  slavery  as  well  as  in  freedom.  That  superb 
fidelity  of  the  Negro  slave  to  the  trusts  of  those  who  left  him 
behind  should  bring  a  blush  of  shame  to  the  South  when  it  permits 
now  such  frequent  lynchings  without  redress  and  in  many  cases  with- 
out investigation.  But  the  Negro  w^ants  also  his  status  fi^xed  on 
the  basis  of  what  he  has  earned  by  the  force  of  arms.  With  our 
allies  we  won  a  mighty  victory  over  Germany.  It  was  a  triumph 
of  democracy  over  autocracy.  The  Negro  had  a  hand  directly  in 
this  victory,  but  did  he  not  also  indirectly  win  for  himself  by 
every  rule  of  the  game,  larger  privileges  than  he  had  heretofore 
enjoyed? 

**The  New  York  World  in  a  recent  editorial  says:  'War  has 
sinister  markings  of  its  own,  won  in  all  sufficiency.  There  is  no 
room  for  the  color  line  across  its  horrid  front.  Such  is  the 
thought  that  suggests  itself  afresh,  for  there  have  been  other  events 
calling  to  mind  the  gallantry  of  our  colored  troops.'  And  then 
the  New  York  World  refers  to  the  fact  that  the  Negro  soldiers 
were  decorated  by  the  French  authorities,  'For  extraordinary 
heroism  under  fire.'     The  World  continues:     'The  words  sweep 


ieS  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

aside  eveiy  consideration  other  than  that  of  soldierly  merit.  Th# 
man  who  dares  and  does,  he  is  a  man  for  all  this  and  all  that.' 

**The  Negro  has  WON  his  decorations  in  France  on  'soldierly 
merit.'  He  has  WON  at  the  same  time  by  the  manifestation  of  his 
courage,  and  his  devotion  and  his  loyalty,  a  more  even  chance  in 
American  life.  And  the  victory  should  be  made  sure.  And  let 
U6  not  mince  words.  We  do  not  intend  now  that  we  have  served 
the  Nation  in  every  war  of  the  Republic  and  that  we  have  borne 
our  full  share,  according  to  our  capacity,  in  every  phase  of  the 
World  War,  to  further  accept  the  indignities  heaped  upon  us  as 
a  race  without  a  solemn  protest  to  every  sense  of  conscience  and 
right  in  America  and  without  appeal  to  the  sense  of  conscience  of 
civilization  the  world  over. 

**  There  is  one  thing  this  World  War  has  done.  It  has  lifted 
the  Negro  problem  out  of  the  provincialism  of  America  into  the 
circumspection  of  the  civilized  world.  We  purpose  to  carry  our 
cause  into  the  open  forum  of  the  world.  We  purpose  to  let  the 
world  know  that  the  soldiers  that  brought  glory  to  the  American 
flag  on  the  fields  of  France  are  denied  the  common  courtesies  in 
too  many  cases  when  they  return  home.  And  surely  our  appeal 
to  the  world  will  not  fall  altogether  on  deaf  ears.  There  will  be 
an  awakening,  you  may  rest  assured,  a  sense  of  right  and  of 
justice  that  will  react  upon  American  life.  We  make  this  appeal 
to  the  world  in  no  sense  of  disloyalty  to  our  Nation.  We  do  it 
because  we  are  loyal.  We  "will  be  heard.  We  will  not  be  lynched 
and  robbed  and  hedged  about  without  a  solemn  protest.  We  do 
not  plead,  for  pity  or  sympathy.  We  want  what  we  have  earned 
by  every  rule  of  the  game. 

The  Negro's  Wonderful  Patience 

**A  white  man  said  the  other  day,  in  discussing  relations  be- 
tween the  races,  *No  other  race  under  the  sun  would  endure  what 
the  Negro  does  except  the  Negro.'  White  men  would  not  stand 
for  a  moment,  if  they  had  our  status  of  intelligence  and  of  wealth 
and  of  numbers,  or  submit  to  the  disfranchisement,  the  uneven 
opportunities,  the  oppression  and  discriminations  that  we  meet 
©n  every  hand.  Someone  has  said  much  about  race  consciousness. 
Whatever    that    means,    we    know    this,    that    much    the    Negro 


WHAT  THE  NEGRO  GOT  OUT  OF  THE  WAR  469 

suffers  white  men  would  not  endure  for  twenty-four  hours,  nor 
will  we  in  the  future  without  a  protest.  And  we  expect  to  find  in 
the  heart  of  the  Nation,  North  and  South,  East  and  West,  among 
those  who  are  supposedly  opposed  to  us,  as  well  as  among  our 
friends,  men  and  women  who  will  lend  themselves  to  a  readjust- 
ment of  our  life  in  the  Nation,  so  that  we  shall  have  a  measure  of 
peace  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  We  will  make  our  appeal 
with  the  certainty  that  we  do  flot  stand  alone.  If  we  did,  the 
appeal  would  be  worthless.  But  there  will  stand  with  us  a  power- 
ful minority,  a  minority  even  in  the  South  that  is  prophetic  of  a 
better  day.  But  it  must  not  be  thought  that  this  minority.  North 
or  South,  will  champion  our  cause  unless  we  have  a  personal 
appreciation  of  our  own  condition  and  an  intense  desire  for  real 
freedom.  He  who  would  be  free  must  strike  the  first  blow^  Stat- 
utes and  proclamations  by  the  score  will  not  help  the  Negro  unless 
the  Negro  first  is  in  a  position  to  be  helped.  Our  friends  must 
know  our  desires.  We  are  making  them  known  in  as  plain  a  way 
as  we  know  how.  We  do  this  in  love  out  of  a  desire  for  peace 
and  good-\\ill,  believing  that  a  more  equitable  readjustment  of  the 
relations  of  the  races  in  this  country  will  strengthen  our  National 
bonds,  increase  our  National  wealth,  add  to  our  National  content- 
ment and  hasten  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  on  earth  as  it 
is  in  heaven." 

With  a  broad  vision,  too,  the  Negroes  of  this  country  have 
looked  forward  to  a  better  day  for  the  Negro  race  throughout  the 
world.  From  the  League  of  Nations  the  race  has  expected  an 
amicable  adjustment  of  relations  in  Africa  so  as  to  secure  to  the 
natives  the  opportunities  for  social,  economic  and  political  develop- 
ment. The  author  urged  in  an  address  delivered  in  Carnegie  Hall, 
New  York,  November  2,  1918,  that  with  a  view  to  granting  larger 
liberties  for  African  allies  the  Peace  Conference  would  establish 
an  International  Commission,  one  member  of  which  would  be 
an  American  Negro.  Because  of  the  revolting  cmeities  perpetrated 
upon  the  natives  in  the  African  dependencies,  American  Negroes 
have  protested  against  any  contemplation  of  restoring  to  Germany 
her  African  colonies.  Is  it  too  much  to  say  that  to  restore  these 
helpless  black  men  to  their  former  oppressors  would  be  a  terrible 
betrayal?     Has   not   the   hour   come   when   men   even    in    darkest 


470  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Africa  may  cry  out  for  the  right  to  elect  or  ordain  their  own 
destinies  under  an  acceptable  tutelage,  and  the  guidance  of  en- 
lightened men  rather  than  under  oppressive  and  cruel  masters! 
If  the  Senegalese,  Algerian  and  Sudanese  troops  stayed  the  Hun 
and  saved  civilization  to  the  world,  the  nations  of  the  world  should 
see  to  it  that  these  people  be  removed  from  the  iron  heel  of 
malignant  oppressors. 

With  a  similar  plan  in  view,  Dr.  W.  E.  B.  DuBois  was  en- 
enabled  to  go  to  France  as  a  newspaper  correspondent  during  the 
session  of  the  Peace  Conference  and  there,  with  a  pennit  from 
Premier  Clemenceau  and  his  co-workers,  succeeded  in  bringing 
together  a  sufficiently  large  number  of  intelligent  Negroes  and 
sjTupathetic  whites  to  hold  what  he  called  a  Pan- African  Congress 
of  which  he  was  made  secretary.  There  was  much  discussion  as 
to  the  rights  of  the  Negroes  throughout  the  world  and  plans  for 
establishing  the  same.  The  Congress  was  not  of  one  accord  in 
expressing  an  attitude  of  censure  toward  those  nations  in  control 
of  the  blacks  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  for  the  reason  that  all 
of  these  nations  are  not  equally  culpable.  The  Congress  did  make 
some  impression  in  Paris  and  passed  the  following  significant 
resolutions : 

''Wherever  persons  of  African  descent  are  civilized  and  able 
to  meet  the  tests  of  surrounding  culture,  they  shall  be  accorded 
the  same  rights  as  their  fellow  citizens;  they  shall  not  be  denied 
on  account  of  race  or  color  a  voice  in  their  own  government, 
justice  before  the  courts  and  economic  and  social  equality  accord- 
ing to  ability  and  desert. 

**  Whenever  it  is  proven  that  African  natives  are  not  receiving 
just  treatment  at  the  hands  of  any  State  or  that  any  State  de- 
liberately excludes  its  civilized  citizens  from  its  body  politic  and 
cultural,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  League  of  Nations  to  bring  the 
matter  to  the  attention  of  the  civilized  world." 


APPENDIX 

(A) 

COMMISSIONED  AT  FT.  DES  MOINES 

Colored  Officers  of  the  Seventeenth  Provisional  Training  Regiment 
Who  Won  Commissions  October  15,  1917 — Their  Home  Ad- 
dresses, and  National  Army  Camps  to  which  They  Were 
Assigned. 

Cleve  r^  Abbott,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Watertown,  South  Dakota,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Joseph  L.  Abernethy,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Prairie  View,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Ewart  G.  Abner,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Conroe,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Charles  J.  Adams,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Selma,  Alabama,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Aurelious  P.  Alberga,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Ira  L.  Alridge,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  New  York,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Edward  I.  Alexander,  First  Lieut,  National  Army,  Jacksonville,  Florida,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Fritz  W.  Alexander,  Second  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Donaldsville,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Lucien  V.  Alexis,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
John  H.  Allen,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 

Levi  Alexander,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Ocala,  Florida,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Clarence  W.  Allen,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Mobile,  Alabama  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Richard  S.  Allen,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Atlantic  City,  N.  J.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
James  W.  Alston,  First  Lt.,  National  Army,  Raleigh,  North  Carolina,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Benjamin  E.  Ammons,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.   C,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Leon  M.  Anderson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Levi  Anderson,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Robert  Anderson,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
David  W.  Anthony,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
James  C.  Arnold,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Russell  C.  Atkins,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Winston-Salem,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Henry  O.  Atwood,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Charles  H.  Austin,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
George  J.  Austin,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Herbert  Avery,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Robert   S.  Bampfield,  Second  Lieut.,  O.   R.   C,  Wilmington,  N.   C,  to   Camp   Grant. 
Julian  C.  Banks,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Charles  H.  Barbour,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Walter  B.  Barnes,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
William  I.  Barnes,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C.,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Stephen  B.  Barrows,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Thomas  J.  Batey,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.   C,  Oakland,  California,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Wilfrid  Bazil,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Array,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
James  E.  Beard,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army  to  Camp  Funston. 
Ether  Beattie,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.   S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
William  H.  Benson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Albert  P.  Bentley,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Benjamin  Bettis,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Harrison  W.  Black,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Lexington,  Ky.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Charles  J.  Blackwood,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Trinidad,  Colorado,  to  Camp  Grant. 

471 


472  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

William  Blaney,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Isaiah  S.  Blocker,  First  Llentenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
William  D.  Ely,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Leavenworth,  Kansaa,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Henry  H.  Boger,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Aurora,  Illinois,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Elbert  L.  Booker,  First  Lieutenant.  O.  R.  C,  Wymer,  Washington,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
James  F.  Booker,  Captain,  National  Armj-,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
William  R.  Bowie,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Virgil  M.  Boutte,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Clyde  R.  Brannon,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Fremont,  Nebraska,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Lewis  Broadus,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Deton  J.  Brooks,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Chicago,   Illinois,   to  Camp  Grant. 
William  M.  Brooks,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R,  C,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Carter  N.  Brown,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Emmet  Brown,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  to  Camp  Funston. 
George  E.  Brown,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  York  Citj',  N.  W.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Oscar  C.  Brown,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Edwards,  Miss,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Rosen  T.  Brown,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Samuel  C.  Brown,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Delaware,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
William  H.  Brown,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Arthur  A.  Browne,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Xenia,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Howard  R.  M.  Browne,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Kansas  City,  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Sylvanus  Brown,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  San  Antonio,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Charles  C.  Bruen,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Mayslick,  Kentucky,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  T.  Burns,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
James  A.  Bryant,  First  Lieut.,  N.  Army,  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
William  L.  Bryson,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
John  E.  Buford,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Langston,  Oklahoma,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Thomas  J.  Bullock,  Second  Lieut.,  N.  Army,  New  York  City,  N.  W.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
John  W.  Bundrant,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Omaha,  Nebraska,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
John  P.  Burgess,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Mullens,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Dace  H.  Burns,  Flr.st  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Chicago,  111.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  H.  Burrel,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
John  M.  Burrell,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  East  Orange,  N.  J.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Herman  L.  Butler,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Homer  C.  Butler,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Felix  Buggs,   Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.   S.  Army,   to  Camp  Grant. 
Napoleon  L.  Byrd,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Madison,  Wisconsin,  to  Camp  Grant. 
John  B.  Cade,  Second  I>ieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  EUerton,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Walter  W.  Cagle,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Charles  W.  Caldwell,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Orangeburg,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Andrew  B.  Callahan,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Alvln  H.  Cameron,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Nashville,  Tenn.  to  Camp  Grant. 
Alonzo  Campbell,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Array,  to  Camp  Upton. 
I^fayette  Campbell,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Union,  W.  Va.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Robert  L.  Campbell,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  B.  Campbell,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Austin,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Guy  W.  Canady,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
I>ovelace  B.  Capehart,  Jr.,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Raleigh,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Adolphu.';  F.  Capps,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Curtis  W.  Carpenter,  Second  Lieutenant.  O.  R.  C,  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Early  Carson,  Captain,  National  Array,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
John  C.  Carter,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Wilson  Cary,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Robert  W.  Cheers,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
David  K.  Cherry,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Frank  R.  Chleholm,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Brooklyn,  N.  W.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Robert  B.  Chubb,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.   S.   Array,   to  Camp   Dix. 
Ewell  W.  Clark,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Glddlngs,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Frank  C.  Clark,  Second  Lt.,  O.  R.  C,  N.  Guard,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
William  H.  Clarke,  First  Lieut,  National  Armj-,  Birmingham,  Ala.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
William  H.  Clarke,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Helena.  Arkansas,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Roscoe  Clayton.  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 


COMMISSIONED  AT  FORT  DES  MOINES  473 

I^ane  G.  Cleaves,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Memphis,  Tennessee,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Joshua  W.  Clifford,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Sprigg  B.  Coates,  Captain,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Frank  Coleman,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
WlUiam  Collier,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
William  N.  Colson,  Second  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  to  Camp  Upton. 
I..eonard  0.  Colston,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Jones  A.  Coltrane,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Spokane,  Wash.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
John  Combs,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.   S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Barton  W,  Conrad,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Lloyd   F.   Cook,  First  Lieutenant,  O.   R.   C,  U.    S.   Army,   to   Camp   Funston. 
Charles  C.  Cooper,  Capt.,  National  Army,  National  Guard,  D.  C.  to  Camp  Meade. 
George  P.  Cooper,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Joseph  H.  Cooper,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Chesley  E.  Corbett,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Wewoka,  Oklahoma,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Harry  W.  Cox,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Sedalia,  Missouri,  to  Camp  Funston. 
James  W.  Cranson,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Horace  R.  Crawford.  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Judge  Cross,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Array,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Clarence  B.  Curley,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Merrill  H.  Curtis,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Wa.shington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Edward  L.  Dabney,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hampton,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Joe  Dabney,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Victor  R.  Daly,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Corona,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Eugene  A.  Dandrldge,  First  Lieut.,  0.  R.  C,  National  Guard,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Eugene  L.  C.  Davidson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Henry  G.  Davis,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Irby  D.  Davis,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Sumter,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  E.  Davis,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Upton 
Charles  C  Dawson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chicago,  Illinois,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  S.  Dawson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chicago,  Illinois,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Aaron  Day,  Jr.,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  Prairie  View,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Milton  T.  Dean,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Francis  M.  Dent,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Thomas  M.  Dent,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
James  B.  Dickson,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Ashevllle,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Spahr  H.  Dickey,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Elder  W.  Diggs,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
William  H.  Dinkins,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Selma,  Ala.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Beverly  L.  Dorsey,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Edward  C.  Dorsey,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Harris  N.  Dorsey,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Seaborn  Douglas,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hartford,  Conn.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Vest  Douglas,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Frank  L.  Drye,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Edward  Dugger,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Roxbury,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Henry  E.  Dunn,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  KInston,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Jackson  E.  Dunn,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Benjamin  F.  Dunning,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Norfolk,  Virginia,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Charles  J.  Echols,  Jr.,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Charles  Ecton,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  F^inston. 
George  E.  Edwards.  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Leonard  Edwards,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Augusta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Grant. 
James  L.  Elliott,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Charles  J.  Ellis,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Springfield,  111.  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Harry  C.  Ellis,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Patrick,  Louisiana,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Roscoe  Ellis,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
l^slle  H.  Engram,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Nontezuma,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Alexander  E.  Evans,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Columbia,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Wil  H.  Evans,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Montgomery,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Norwood  C.  Fairfax,  Second  Lieut.,  0.  R.  C,  Eagle  Rock,  Virginia,  to  Camp  Meade. 
John  R.  Fairley,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  to  Oamp  Funston. 


474  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTOEY 

Clifford  L,  Farrer,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  El  Paso,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
I^eonard  J.  Faulkner,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
William  H.  Fearence,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Texarkana,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Charles  H.  Fearing,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Robert  W.  Fearing,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Alonzo,  G.  Ferguson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C.  to  Camp  Meade. 
Gurnett  E.  Ferguson,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Dunbar,  W.  Va.  to  Camp  Grant. 
Thomas  A.  Flrme.s,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Dillard  J.  Firse,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Octavlus  Fisher,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Detroit,  Michigan,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
James  E.  Fladger,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Benjamin  F.  Ford,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant, 
Edward  W.  Ford,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Frank  L.  Francis,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Henry  O.  Franklin,  Second  Lt.,  National  Army,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Ernest  C.  Frazier,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Arthur  Freeman,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Sewell  C.  Freeman,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Aragon,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Edward  S.  Gaillard,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Tacitus  E.  Gaillard,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  aKnsas  City,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
James  H.  L.  Gaines,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Ellsworth  Gamblee,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Luclan  P.  Garrett,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
William  L.  Lee,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Galllpolis,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Clayborne  George,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Warmith  T.  Gibbs,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Howard  C.  Gilbert,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Walter  A.  Giles,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Archie  H.  Gillespie,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
William  Gillum,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 

Floyd  Gilmer,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
V/illiara  Glass,   Captain,  National  Army,  U.   S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Jesse  J.  Gleeden,  Second  Lieutenant  O.  R.  C,  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Leroy  H.  Godman,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Edward  L.  Goodlett,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Nathan  O.  Goodloe,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Frank  M.  Goodner,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Elijah  H.  Goodwin,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Dix. 
James  A.  Gordon,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Herbert  R.  Gould,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Dedhara,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
James  E.  Gould,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Dedhara,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Francis  H.  Gow,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Charleston,  W.  Va.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  T,  Grady,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Dudley,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Jesse  M.  H.  Graham  Second  Lieut.,  Nat.  Army,  Clarksville,  Tenn.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
William  H.  Graham,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Towson  S.  Grasty,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Thornton  H.  Gray,  First  Lieut.,  Nat.  Army,  Fairmount  Heights,  Md.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Miles  M.  Green,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 

Thomas  E.  Green,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Walter  Green,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Jesse  J.  Green,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Georgetown,  Ky.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Thomas  M.  Gregory,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Newark,  N.  J.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Jefferson  E.   Grigsby,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chappelle,   S.   C,   to  Camp  Dix. 
Thomas  Grundy,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Array,  to  Camp  Dix. 
William  W.  Green,  Captain,  0.  R.  C.,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
George  B.  Greenlee,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Marion,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Nello  B.  Greenlee,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Herbert  H.  Guppy,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Boston.  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
George  C.  Hall,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Leonidas  H.  Hall,  Jr.,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
George  W.  Hamilton,  Jr.,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Topeka,  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Rodney  D.  Hardeway,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Houston,  Texas,  to  Camp  Fuaston, 


COIMJMISSIONED  AT  FORT  DES  MOINES  475 

Clarence  W.  Harding,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Clifton  S.  Hardy,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Champaign,  111.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Clay  Harper,  Flr.st  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funaton. 
Ted  O.  Harper,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Array,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Tillman  H.  Harpole,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Kansas  City  Mo.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Bravid  W.  Harris,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Warrenton,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Edward  H.  Harris,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Eugene  Harris,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
William   Harris,   First   Lieutenant,  0.   R.   C,   U.   S.   Army,   to   Camp  Meade. 
Byrd  McD.  Hart,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 

Albert  L.  Hatchett,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  San  Antonio,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
I>awrence  Hawkins,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Bowie,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Charles  M.  Hayes,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hopkinsvllle,  Ky.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Merrlam  C.  Hayson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Kenllworth,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Alonzo  Heard,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Almando  Henderson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Douglas  J.  Henderson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Robert  M.  Hendrick,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C.  Tallahassee.  Fla.,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Thomas  J.  Henry,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant.  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Vodrey  Henry,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Jesse  S.  Hesllp,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Toledo,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Grant. 
I^ee  J.  Hicks,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  Ottawa,  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Victor  LaNaire  Hicks,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Columbia,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Arthur  A.  Hill,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Array,  Lawrence  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Daniel  G.  Hill,  Jr.,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cantonsvllle,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Walter  Hill,   First  Lieutenant,   O.   R.   C,   U.   S.  Army,   to  Camp   Dodge. 
V/llUam  Hill,  Captain.  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Clarence  O.  Hilton,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Farmvllle,  Virginia,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Ix)well  B.  Hodges,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Houston,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Horatio  B.  Holder,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cairo,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
George  A.  Holland,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
James  G.  Hollingsworth,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Greorge  C.  Hollomand,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Wayne  L.  Hopkins.  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Shermnn. 
James  L.  Horace,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Reuben  Horner,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Charles  S.  Hough,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Jamestown,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Shermsn. 
Charles  H.  Houston,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meado. 
Henry  C.  Houston,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Cecil  A.  Howard,  Fir.st  Lieutenant.  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Clarence  K.  Howard,  Second  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Montgomery,  Alabama,  to  Camp  Dodgf.. 
Charles  P.  Howard.  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Arthur  Hubbard,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Jerome  L.  Hubert,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Houston,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
William  H.  Hubert,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Mayfield,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Jefferson  E.  Hudging,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Samuel  M.  Huffman,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Samuel  A.  Hull,  First  Lieutenant,  Natlonfil  Army,  Jacksonville,  Florida,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
John  R.  Hunt,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C.  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Bush  A.  Hunter,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.   R.   C,  I^xlngton,  Ky,,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Benjamin  H.  Hunton,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C.,  Newport  News,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Frederick  A.  Hurt,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Walter  L.  Hutcherson,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Amherst  (post  office)  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Samuel  B.  Hutchinson,  Jr.,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Boston,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
James  E.  Ivey,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Beecher  A.  Jackson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C.  Texarkana,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
George  W.  Jackson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C.,  Ardmore,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Joseph  T.  Jackson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Charleston,  W.  Va.,  to  Camp  Grant, 
linden  Jackson,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.   S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Matthew  Jackson,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Maxey  A.  Jackson,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Marian,  Ky.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Joyce  G.  Jacobs,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Chicago,  III.,  to  Camp  Grant. 


476  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Wesley  H.  Jamison,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Topeka,  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Charles  Jefferson,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Benjamin  R.  Johnson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Campbell  C.  Johnson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Ernest  C.  Johnson,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Everett  W.  Johnson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Hanson  Johnson,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Hillery  W.  Johnson,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Joseph  L.  Johnson,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Merle  O.  Johnson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Robert  E.  Johnson,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Thomas  Johnson,  Captain,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Virginius  D,  Johnson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Richmond,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
William  N.  Johnson,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Omaha,  Nebraska,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
William  T.  Johnson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Willie  Johnson,  First  Lieutenant.  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Charles  A.  Jones,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C.,  San  Antonio,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Clifford  W.  Jones,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Dee  Jones,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 

Edward  D.  Jones,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hartford,  Conn.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
James  W.  Jones,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
James  O.  Jones,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Array,  Paulding,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Paul  W.  Jones,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Percy  L.  Jones,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Vivian  L.  Jones,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C.,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Warren  F.  Jones,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
William  Jones,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Charles  G.    Kelly,  Captain,  National  Army,  Tuskegee,  Alabama,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Elliott  H.  Kelly,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Camden,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Upton. 
John  B.  Kemp,  Captain,  National  Array,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant 
John  M.  Kenney,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Will  Kemts,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Otho  E.  Kerr,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Hampton,  Virginia,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Orestus  J.  KIncald,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Jesse  L.  Klmbrough,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Moses  King,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C.,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant 
Lawrence  E.   Knight,   First  Lieutenant,   0.   R.   C,  U.   S.  Army,   to   Camp   Sherman. 
Edward  C.  Knox,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
John  W.  Knox,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Azzle  B.  Koger,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Reldsville,  N  C,  to  Camp  Grant 
LInwood  G.  Koger,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Charles  E.  Lane,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
David  A.  Lane,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C.  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Frank  L.  Lane,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Houston,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Benton  R,  Latimer,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Warrenton,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Ernest  W.  Latson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Paige  I.  Lancaster,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hampton,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Oscar  G.  Lawless,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  Orleans,  La.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Samuel  Lawson,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Wilfred  W,  Lawson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
George  E.  Lee,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
George  W.  I^e,  Second  I>ieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Lawrence  A.  Lee,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hampton,  Virginia,  to  Camp  Upton. 
John  E.  Leonard,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Garrett  M.  Lewis,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  San  Antonio,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Henry  O.  Lewis,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Boston,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Everett  B.  Liggins,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Austin,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Victor  C.  Lightfoot,  Second  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  South  Pittsburg,  Tenn.,  to  Camp  Grant 
John  Q.  LIndsey,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Redden  L.  Linton,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Boston,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Glenda  W.  Locust,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Sealy,  Tenn..  to  Camp  Funston. 
Aldon  L.  Logan,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Lawrence,  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 


COMMISSIONED  AT  FORT  DES  MOINES  477 

James  B.  Lomack,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  National  Guard,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meartc. 
Howard  H.  Ix)ng,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
James  B.  Lomack,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  National  Guard,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Victor  I^ng,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Ix)nnie  W.  Lott,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Austin,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funstou. 
Charles  H.  I^ve,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Edgar  A.  Love,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Frank  W.  Ix»ve,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
George  B.  Love,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
John  W.  Love,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R,  C,  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Joseph  Lowe,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  8.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Walter  Lowe,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Charles  C.  Luck,  Jr.,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  San  Marcus,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funaton. 
Walter  Lyons,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Array,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Harry  J.  Mack,  Second   Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cheney,  Pa.,  to  Camp   Dix. 
Amos  B.  Madison,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Omaha,  Nebr.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Edgar  F.  Malone.  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Edgar  O.  Malone,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.,  Array,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Earl  W.  Mann,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Champaign,  III.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Vance  H.  Marchbanks,  Captain,  National  Array,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Leon  F.  Marsh,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Berkeley,  Cal.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Alfred  E.  Marshall,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Greenwood,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Cyrus  W.  Marshall,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Cuby  Martin,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Carap  Dodge. 
Joseph  H.  Martin,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Eric  P.  Mason,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Giddlngs,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Denis  McG.  Matthews,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Joseph  E.  Matthews,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cleburne,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Anderson  N.  May,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Walter  H.  Mazyck,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Carap  Meade. 
Peter  McCall,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Carap  Dodge. 
Milton  A.  McCrlnmion,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Robert  A.  McEwen,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  East  St.  Louis,  111.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Osceola  E.  McKaine,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Carap  Upton. 
James  E.  McKey,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Array,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Carey  McLane,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Archie  McLee,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Leonard  W.  McLeod,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hampton,  Virginia,  to  Carap  Upton. 
Albert  McReynolds,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Array,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Carap  Meade. 
Marshall  Meadows,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Array,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Louis  R.  Mehlinger,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Louis  R.  Middleton,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Uptcn. 
Benjamin  H.  Mills,  First  Lieutenant.  O.  R.  C,  U.   S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Harry  W.  Mills,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Warren  N.  Mins,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
J.   Wardlaw  Mitchell,   Second  Lieut.,  O.   R.   C,  MlUedgeville,   Ga.,   to   Camp   Dodge. 
Pinkney  L.  Mitchell,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Austin,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
John  H.  Mitcherson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.   R.  C,  U.   S.  Army,  to  Carap   Dix. 
Ralph  E.  Mizell,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Champaign,  Illinois,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Hubert  M.  Moman,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Tougalo,  Miss.,  to  Camp  Fnnston. 
John  M.  Moore,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Meridan,  Miss.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Loring  B.  Moore,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Brunswick,  Ga.,  to  Carap  Meade. 
Ellas  A.  Morris.  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Helena,  Ark.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Thomas  E.  Morris,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
James  B.  Morris,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Cleveland  Morrow.  First  Lieutenant,  National   Army,  U.   S.  Array,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Henry  Morrow,  First  Ivieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Carap  Dix. 
Abraham  Morse,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Array,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Benjamin  H.  Mosby,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Carap  Funston. 
Benedict  Mosley,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C.  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Scott   A.    Mover,    Second    Lieutenant.    National    Array,    U.    S.    Army,    to   Camp    Dix. 
Albert  C.  Murdaugh,  Second  Lietitenant,  O.  R.  C,  Columbia,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 


478  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Alonzo  Myers,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Thomas  J.  Narclsse,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Jeanerette,  Louisiana,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Earl  H.  Nash,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge, 
Homer  G.  Neely,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Palestine,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Gurney  E.  Nelson,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
"William  F.  Nelson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
William  S.  Nelson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
James  P.  Nobles,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Grafton  S.  Norman,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Richard  M.  Norrls,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Ambrose  B.  Nutt,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Benjamin  L.  Ousley,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Tougaloo,  Miss.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Charles  W,  Owens,*  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Charles  G.  Owings,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Norfolk,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
William  W.  Oxley,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Wilbur  E.   Pannell,   Second   Lieutenant,   O.   R.   C,   Stanton,   Va.,   to   Camp   Upton. 
Charles  S.  Parker,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Spokane,  Wash.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Walter  E.  Parker,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Clemmie  C.  Parks,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Ft.  Scott,  Kans.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Adam  E.  Patterson,  Captain,  National  Army,  Chicago,  Illinois,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Hlmphrey  C.  Patton,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Clarence 'h.  Payne,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chicago,  111.,  to  Camp  Grant 
William  D.  Peeks,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Robert  R.  Penn.,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton- 
Marlon  R.  Perry,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Pine  Bluff,  Ark.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Hanson  A.  Person,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Wynne,  Ark.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Harry  B.  Peters,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Grant. 
James  H.  Peyton,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Montgomery,  Alabama,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Joseph  Phillips,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
David  A.  Pierce,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C.,  ClarksvlUe,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Harrison  J.  Pinkett,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Omaha,  Nebr.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
James  C.  Pinkston,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Perclval  R.  Piper,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Anderson  F.  Pitts,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chicago,  111.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Fisher  Pride,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dlx, 
Herman  W.  Porter,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
James  C.  Powell,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Wade  H.  Powell,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge, 
William  J,  Powell,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chicago,  111.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Gloucester  A.  Price,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Ft.  Meyer,  Fla.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
John  F.  Pritchard,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Henry  H.  Proctor,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
John  H.  Pumell,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Trappe,  Md.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Washington  H.  Racks,  Second  Lieut,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Howard  D.  Queen,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Richard  R.  Queen,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Harold  L.  Quivers,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
John  E.  Raiford,  Second  Lieutenant  0.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Hazel  I^  Raine,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Fred  D.  Ramsey,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Wedgefield,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Upton. 
James  O.  Redmon,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Newton,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Charles  G.  Reed,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Charleston,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Rufus  Reed,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
IJghtfoot  H.  Reese,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Newman,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  U  Reese,  Second  Lieutenant  O.  R.  C,  Bennetsville,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Robert  S.  Reid,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Newman,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Samuel  Reid,  Captain,  National  Array,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Adolph  Reyes,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Elijah  Reynolds,  Captain,  National  Array,  United  States  Array,  to  Camp  Meade. 
John  F.  Rice,  First  Lieutenant,  0,  R.  C.,  Chicago,  Illinois,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Douglas  C.  Richardson,  Second  Lieut..  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Harry  D.  Richardson,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 


COMMISSIONED  AT  FORT  DES  MOINES  479 

1-eonard  H.  Richardson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Oakland  Cal.,  to  Carap  FunBton. 
Maceo  A.  Richmond,  Second  Lieutenant,  .  R.  C,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Francis  E.  Rivers,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Marlon  C.   Rhoten,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,   U.   S.   Army,   to   Camp  Meade. 
Charles  E.  Roberts,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlantic  City,  N.  J.,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Clyde  Roberts,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Edward  Robertson,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Charles  W.  Robinson,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
George  C.  Robinson  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Peter  L.  Robinson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
William  W.  Robinson,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Julian  P.  Rodgers,  First  Lieut.,  National  Array,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
John  W.  Rowe,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Danville,  Ky.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Thomas  Rucker,  Captain,  O.  R.   C,  United   States  Army,  to   Carap   Dlx. 
Edward  P.  Rudd,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  New  York  City,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Mallalieu  W.  Rush,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
John  Russell,  Captain,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Carap  Upton. 
Louis  H.  Russell,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Earl  Ryder,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Springfield,  111.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Chester  Sanders,   Captain,  0.  R.   C,  United   States  Army,   to  Camp   Meade. 
Joseph  B.  Sanders,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Carap  Dodge. 
Walter  R.  Sanders,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Clifford  A.  Sandridge,  Captain,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Lorin  0.  Sanford,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Elliott  D.  Saunders,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Walker  L.  Savoy,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Elmer  P.  Sawyer,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Providence,  R.  I.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
George  S.  Schuyler,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
James  E.  Scott,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Wa.'^hington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
James  E.  Scott,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hampton,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Joseph  H.  Scott,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Darlington,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Walter  W.  Scott,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Brooksville,  Miss.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
William  F.  Scott,  Captain.  0.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Fletcher  Sewell,  Captain,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Shermont  R.  Sewell,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Charles  A.  Shaw,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Warren  B.  Shelton,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Hot  Springs,  Ark.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Robert  T.  Shobe,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Hal  Short,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Harry  W.  Short,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Ogbon  N.  Simmons,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Waldo,  Fla.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Richard  Simmons,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
William  E.  Simmons,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Burlington,  Vt,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Austin  Simms,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Dearien,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
John  H.  Simms,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Abraham  L.  Simpson,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
I>awrence  Simpson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chicago,  111.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  R.  Smalls,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Mana-ssas,  Va.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Daniel  Smith,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Enos  B.  Smith,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Array,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Ernest  Smith,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Fairel  N.  Smith,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Orangeburg,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Joseph  W.  Smith,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Concord,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Oscar  H.  Smith,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Pitman  E.  Smith,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Russell  Smith,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Carap  Dix. 
Walter  H.  Smith,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Levi  E.  Southe,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Chicago,  111.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Carlos  Sowards,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Edward  W.  Spearman,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Walter  R.  St.  Clair,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
L?oyd  A.  Stafford,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 


480  SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 

Moody  Staten.  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Percy  H.  Steele,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Waddell  C.  Steele,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Grant  Stewart,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Robert  K.  Stephens,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Array,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Leon  Stewart,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Thomas  R.  Stewart,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
William  A.  Stith,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
James  M.  Stockett,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Providence,  R.  I.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Wilbur  F.  Stonestreet,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Topeka,  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Daniel  T.  Taylor,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Anny,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Hannibal  B.  Taylor,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Guthrie,  Okla.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Pearl  E.  Taylor,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Benjamin  F.  Thomas,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Bob  Thomas,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Jleade. 
Vincent  B.  Thomas,  Second  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Charles  M.  Thompson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Columbia,  S.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Joseph  Thomp.son,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Pierce  McN.  Thompson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Albany,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Richard  C.  Thompson,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Harrlsburg,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Rollver  T.  Thompson,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Houston,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
William  H.  Thompson,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
William  H.  Thompson,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
James  W.  Thorton,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  West  Raleigh,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Leslie  J.  Thurman,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Samuel  J.  Tipton,  Captain,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Frederick  H.  Townsend,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Newport,  R,  I.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Anderson  Trapp,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Charles  A.  Tribbett,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Joseph  E.  Trigg,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Archibald  R.  Tuck,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Oberlin,  Ohio,  to  Camp  Sherman, 
Victor  J.  Tulane,  First  Lieutenant,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
William  J.  Trunbow,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Allen  Turner,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Edward  Turner,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Omaha,  Nebr.,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Samuel  Turner,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Shadrach  W.  Upshaw,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Austin,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Ferdinand  S.  Upshur,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
George  L.  Vaughn,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Austin  T.  Walden,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Macon,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
John  P.  Walker,  First  I>ieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
I^wis  W.  Wallace,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Thomas  H.  Walters,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Robert  L.  Ward,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Detroit,  Mich.,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
James  H.  N.  Waring,  Jr.,  First  Lieut,  O.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Genoa  S.  Washington,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
George  G.  Washington,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army  to  Camp  Funston. 
Bolivar  E.  Watklns,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Alstyne  M.  Watson,  Second  Lieut.,  O.  R,  C,  Tallapoosa,  Ga.,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Baxter  W.  Watson,  Second  Lt,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Louis  L.  Watson,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Dix. 
William  H.  Weare,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Walter  T.  Webb,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Carter  W.  Wesley,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C.,  Houston,  Tex.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Harry  Wheeler,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Meade. 
Chauncey  D.  White,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Mathews,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Emmett  White,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Journee  W.  White,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  to  Camp  Dix. 
liOrenzo  C.  White,  Second  Lieutenant.  O.  R.  C,  Hampton,  Va.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Johnson  C.  Whittaker,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Lawrence,  Kans.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Horace  G.  Wilder  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  United  States,  to  Camp  Dix. 
Arthur  R.  Williams,  Second  Lieut.,  0.  R.  C,  Edwards.  Mi.ss..  to  Camp  Funston. 


COMMISSIONED  AT  FORT  DES  MOINES  481 

Everett  B,  Willlains,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Gus  Williams,  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  United  States  Array,  to  Camp  Uptoa. 
James  B.  Williams,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Camp  Meade. 
John  Williams,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Oscar  H.  Williams,  Second  Lieut.,  National  Army,  New  Yorit,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Richard  A.  Williams,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  Lawnside,  N.  J,,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Robert  G.  Williams,  First  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman, 
Seymour  E.  Williams,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Musltogee,  Okla.,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Major  Williams,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S,  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Walter  B.  Williams,  Captain,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
William  H.  Williams,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Grant 
Elmore  S.  Willie,  First  Lieut,  O.  R.  C,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Sherman. 
Harry  E.  Wilson,  First  Lieutenant,  O,  R.  C,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
John  E.  Wilson,  First  Lieut.,  National  Army,  Leavenworth,  Kans.,  to  Camp  Funston, 
William  H.  Wilson,  Second  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Meredith  B,  Wily,  First  Lieut.,  O.  R.  C,  El  Paso,  Texas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Christopher  C.  Wimbish,  First  Lieutenant,  0.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Ga.  to  Camp  Dodge. 
Hugh  H.  Wlrablsh,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Atlanta,  Qa.,  to  Camp  Meade, 
Rolland  T.  Winstead,  Second  Lieut.,  0.  R.  C,  Rocky  Mount,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant 
George  W.  Wln.ston,  Captain,  O.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge, 
Ernest  M.  Wood,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Mebane,  N.  C,  to  Camp  Grant. 
Benjamin  F.  Wright,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Elbert  S.  Wright,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Baldwin,  Kansas,  to  Camp  Funston. 
John  Wynn,  Second  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S,  Army,  to  Camp  Funston. 
Edward  York,  Captain,  0.  R.  C,  United  States  Army,  to  Camp  Upton. 
Charles  Young  First  Lieutenant,  National  Army,  U.  S.  Army,  to  Camp  Dodge. 
William  A.  Young,  Second  Lieutenant,  O.  R.  C,  Sumter,  S,  C,  to  Camp  Dlx. 
Charles  G.  Young  First  Lieutenant,  O,  R.  C,  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Camp  Meade. 

The  above  oflacers  do  not  represent  the  full  number  of  Colored  men  who  were 
commissioned  in  the  United  States  Army,  however.  In  the  series  of  Officers'  Training 
Camps  which  were  conducted  after  the  draftees  were  called  to  service,  107  were 
commissioned  in  Infantry  from  various  camps,  and  33  In  Artillery  from  Camp  Zacb- 
ary  Taylor,  Louisville,  Kentucky. 


482 


SCOTT'S  OFFICIAL  HISTORY 


(B) 

Colored  Chaplains  in  the  United  States  Army  When  the  Armistice  was  Signed, 

November  11,  1918 


Name. 


Denomination. 


Assigned  tr— 


Louis  A.  Carter, 
O.  J.  W.  Scott, 
Alexander  W.   Thomas, 
George  W.   Prloleau, 
William  S.  Braddon, 
John  S.  Hawkins, 
Arrlngton   S.   Helm, 
Charles  R,   Winthrop, 
Uriah  J,  Robinson, 
Allen  O.   Newman, 
George  S.   Stark, 
Edgar  A.  Love 
A-  E.  Rankin, 
Cornelius  G.  Parks, 
E.  a  Woolfolk, 
George  A-  Singleton, 
Henry  M.  Collins, 
Lincoln   C  Jenkins, 
Julian  L.  Brown, 
Hugh  A-  Rogers, 
Elbert  S.  M.  Dlnsmore, 
E.   M.   M.   Wright, 
CllCford  L.   Miller. 
John  T.  Clemons, 
Matthew  M.  Jefferson, 
John  W.  Oveltrea, 
Benjamin  C.  Robeson, 
James  T.  Simpson, 
Thomas  W.  Wallace, 
Charles  T.  Isom, 
Monroe  S,   Caver, 
George  A.   Thomas, 
Richard   A.    Greene, 
William  T.  Amlger, 
Alfred  G.  Casper, 
John  A,  Hill, 
Blair  T.  Hunt, 
Noah   W.   Williams, 
Frank   C.    Shirley, 
George  A.   Rosedom, 
Thomas  E.  Davis, 
Matthew  W.  Clair,  Jr., 
Lewis  A.  McGee, 
John  W.  E.  Bowen,  Jr., 
Frank  W.   Brown, 
Ellis   A.   Christian, 
Eugene  H.  Hamilton, 
Frederick  D.  L.  McDonald, 
A.  Huntington  Hatwoood, 
Max  Tergan, 
Charles  Y.  Trigg, 
Needham  M.  Means, 
James  B.  Adams, 
Robert   G.   Morris, 
Robert  W.  Jefferson, 
George  C.  Parker, 
Isaac  C.   Snowden, 
Frank  R.  Arnold, 
William   Y.   Bell, 
Berryman  H.  Johnson, 


Baptist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Baptist, 

Baptist, 

Presbyterian, 

Baptist, 

Baptist, 

Presbyterian, 

Methodist, 

Presbyterian, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

BapUst, 

Baptist, 

Baptist, 

Methodist, 

Episcopal, 

Congregational, 

Congregational, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Zlon    Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Baptist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Baptist, 

Methodist, 

.Methodist, 

Baptist, 

Methodist, 

Presbyterian, 

Baptist. 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Baptist, 

Episcopal, 

Congregational, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Congregational, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Baptist, 

Methodist, 

Baptist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Methodist, 

Baptist, 


9th  U.  S.  Cavalry. 

10th  U.  S.  Cavalry. 

24th  Infantry. 

25th  Infantry. 

(Former  Nat'l  Guard)   370th  Inf.,  A.  E. 

(Former  Nat'l  Guard)    151st  Inf.,  A.  E. 

(Former  Nat'l  Guard)    Camp  Upton,  N. 

(Former  Nat'l  Guard)    372nd  Inf.,  A.  E. 

365  Infantry,  A.  E.  F. 

366th  Infantry,  A.  E.  F. 

367th  Infantry,  A.  E.  F. 

367tli  Infantry.  A.  E.  F. 

349th  Field  Artillery,  A  E.  F. 

350th  Field  Artillery. 

317th  Engineers,  A,  E.  F. 
309th  Labor  Battalion. 
310th  Labor   Battalion. 
302nd  Stevedore  Regiment 

314th  Labor  Battalion. 

Engineer  Service  BattaUon,  A.  E.  F. 

506th  Service  BattaUon,  Engrs.,  A.  E.  P. 

370th  Infantry,  A.  E.  F. 

American  Expeditionary  Forces. 

American  Expeditionary  Forces. 

American  Expeditionary  Forces. 

American  Expeditionary  Forces. 

American  Expeditionary  Forces. 

157th  Depot  Brigade,  Camp  Gordon,  Ga. 

Camp  Taylor,   Kentucky. 

Camp  Hill,  Newport  News,  Virginia. 

Csimp  Taylor,   Kentucky. 

Camp  Hill,  Virginia. 

Camp   Stuart,  Virginia. 

Camp  Stuart,  Virginia, 

C^amp   Stuart,  Virginia. 

Camp  Meade.  Maryland,  11th  Division. 

Camp   Meade,    Maryland. 

American  Expeditionary  Forces. 


Camp  I/ee,  Virginia, 
Camp  Travis,  Texas. 


Camp   Taylor,   Kentucky. 
Camp  Lee,  Virginia. 
Camp  Alexander,  Virginia- 
Camp  Travis,  Texas. 
Cajnp   Lee,   Virginia. 
Camp  Meade,  Maryland. 
Camp  Sevier,   South  Carolina, 
Camp  Jackson,  South  Carolina. 
25th  Infantry,  Nogales,  Arizona. 
Camp  Sherman,  Ohio. 
Port  Newark,  New  Jersey. 
Camp  Lee,  Virginia. 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

OflOicial  Summary  of  the  Covenant  of  the  League  of  Nations  and  Tenna 
Imposed  Upon  Germany  as  Decided  by  the  Peace  Conference 

The  official  summary  of  the  treaty  of  peace,  given  to  the  public  on  May 
7,  1919,  at  the  time  the  text  of  the  treaty  was  handed  to  the  German  peace 
delegates,  was  as  follows: 

The  preamble  names  aa  parties  of  the  one  part  the  United  States,  the  British 
empire,  France,  Italy,  and  Japan,  described  as  the  five  allied  and  associated  powers,  and 
Be^ium,  Bolivia,  Brazil,  China,  Cuba,  Ecuador,  Greece,  Guatemala,  Haiti,  the  Hedjaz, 
Honduras,  Liberia,  Nicaragua,  Panama,  Peru,  Poland,  Portugal,  Roumania,  Serbia,  Siam, 
Czechoslovakia,  and  Uruguay,  who  with  the  five  above  are  described  as  the  allied  and 
associated  powers,  and  on  the  other  part  Germany. 

It  states  that:  Bearing  in  mind  that  on  the  request  of  the  then  imperial  German 
government  an  armistice  was  granted  on  November  11,  1918,  by  the  five  allied  and 
associated  powers  in  order  that  a  treaty  of  peace  might  be  concluded  with  her,  and 
whereas  the  allied  and  associated  powers  being  equally  desirous  that  the  war  in  which 
they  were  successfully  involved,  directly  or  indirectly,  and  which  originated  in  the 
declaration  of  war  by  Austria-Hungary  on  July  28,  1914,  against  Serbia,  the  declara- 
tion of  war  by  Germany  against  Russia  on  August  1,  1914,  and  against  France  on 
August  3,  1914,  and  in  the  invasion  of  Belgium,  should  be  replaced  by  a  firm,  just,  and 
durable  peace,  the  plenipotentiaries  having  communicated  their  full  powers  found  in 
good  and  due  form  have  agreed  as  follows: 

From  the  coming  into  force  of  the  present  treaty,  the  state  of  war  will  terminate. 
From  the  moment  and  subject  to  the  provisions  of  this  treaty  official  relations  with 
Germany,  and  with  each  of  the  German  states,  will  be  resumed  by  the  allied  and 
associated  powers. 

The  League  of  Nations' 

SECTION  I 

The  covenant  of  the  league  of  nations  constitutes  section  1  of  the  peace  treaty, 
which  places  upon  the  league  many  specific  duties  in  addition  to  its  general  duties. 

It  may  question  Germany  at  any  time  for  a  violation  of  the  neutralized  zone  east 
of  the  Rhine  as  a  threat  against  the  world 's  peace. 

It  will  appoint  three  of  the  five  members  of  the  Saar  commission,  oversee  its 
regime,  and  carry  out  the  plebiscite. 

It  will  appoint  the  high  commissioner  of  Danzig,  guarantee  the  independence  of 
the  free  city,  and  arrange  for  treaties  betwen  Danzig  and  Germany  and  Poland. 

It  will  work  out  the  mandatory  system  to  be  applied  to  the  former  German 
colonies,  and  act  as  a  final  court  in  part  of  the  plebiscites  of  the  Belgian-German 
frontier  and  in  disputes  as  to  the  Kiel  canal,  and  decide  certain  of  the  economic  and 
financial  problems. 

An  international  conference  on  labor  is  to  be  held  in  October  under  its  direction, 
and  another  on  the  international  control  of  ports,  waterways,  and  railways  is  fore- 
shadowed. 

The  members  of  the  league  will  be  the  signatories  of  the  covenant  and  other  states 
invited  to  accede,  who  must  lodge  a  declaration  of  accession  without  reservation  within 
two  months. 

A  new  state,  dominion,  or  colony  may  be  admitted  provided  its  admission  is  agreed 
to  by  two-thirds  of  the  assembly. 

A  state  may  withdraw  upon  giving  two  years'  notice,  if  it  has  fulfilled  all  ita 
international  obligations. 

483 


TEE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

SECTION  II 

A  permanent  secretariat  will  be  established  at  the  seat  of  the  league,  which  will  be 
at  Geneva. 

Assembly — The  assembly  will  consist  of  representatives  of  the  members  of  tht 
league,  and  will  meet  at  stated  intervals.  Voting  will  be  by  states.  Each  member  will 
have  one  vote  and  not  more  than  three  representatives. 

Council — iThe  council  will  consist  of  representatives  of  the  five  great  allied  powers, 
together  with  representatives  of  four  members  selected  by  the  assembly  from  time  to 
time;  it  may  co-operate  with  additional  states  and  will  meet  at  least  once  a  year. 
Members  not  represented  will  be  invited  to  send  a  representative  when  questions 
affecting  their  interests  are  discussed.  Voting  will  be  by  states.  Each  state  will  have 
one  vote  and  not  more  than  one  representative.  Decisions  taken  by  the  assembly  and 
council  must  be  unanimous,  except  in  regard  to  procedure  and  in  certain  cases  specified 
in  the  covenant  and  in  the  treaty,  where  decisions  will  be  by  a  majority. 

Armaments — The  council  will  formulate  plans  for  a  reduction  of  armaments  for 
consideration  and  adoption.  These  plans  will  be  revised  every  ten  years.  Once  they 
are  adopted,  no  member  must  exceed  the  armaments  text  without  the  concurrence  of 
the  council.  All  members  will  exchange  full  information  as  to  armaments  and  programs, 
and  a  permanent  commission  will  advise  the  council  on  military  and  naval  questions. 

Preventing  of  war — Upon  any  war  or  threat  of  war  the  council  will  meet  to  consider 
what  common  action  shall  be  taken.  Members  are  pledged  to  submit  matters  of  dispute 
to  arbitration  or  inquiry  and  not  to  resort  to  war  until  three  months  after  the  award. 

Members  agree  to  carry  out  an  arbitral  award  and  not  to  go  to  war  with  any 
party  to  the  dispute  which  complies  with  it;  if  a  member  fails  to  carry  out  the  award 
the  council  will  propose  the  necessary  measures. 

The  council  will  formulate  plans  for  the  establishment  of  a  permanent  court  of 
international  justice  to  determine  international  disputes  or  to  give  advisory  opinions. 

Members  who  do  not  submit  their  cases  to  arbitration  must  accept  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  assembly.  If  the  council,  less  the  parties  to  the  dispute,  is  unanimously  agreed 
upon  the  rights  of  it,  the  members  agree  that  they  will  not  go  to  war  with  any 
party  to  the  dispute  which  complies  with  its  recommendations.  In  this  case  a  recom- 
mendation by  the  assembly,  concurred  in  by  all  its  members  represented,  less  the 
parties  to  the  dispute  will  have  the  force  of  a  unanimous  recommendation  by  the  council. 

In  either  case  if  the  necessary  agreement  cannot  be  secured  the  members  reserve 
the  right  to  take  such  action  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  right  and 
justice. 

Members  resorting  to  war  in  disregard  of  the  covenant  will  immediately  be  debarred 
from  all  intercourse  with  other  members.  The  council  will  in  such  cases  consider  what 
military  or  naval  action  can  be  taken  by  the  league  collectively  for  the  protection  of 
the  covenants  and  will  afford  facilities  to  members  co-operating  in  this  enterprise. 

Validity  of  Treaties — All  treaties  or  international  engagements  concluded  after  the 
institution  of  the  league  will  be  registered  with  the  secretariat  and  published. 

The  assembly  may  from  time  to  time  advise  members  to  reconsider  treaties  which 
have  become  inapplicable  or  involve  danger  of  peace. 

The  covenant  abrogates  all  obligations  between  members  inconsistent  with  its 
terms,  but  nothing  in  it  shall  affect  the  validity  of  international  engagements,  such  as 
treaties  of  arbitration  or  regional  understandings,  like  the  Monroe  doctrine,  for  securing 
the  maintenance  of  peace. 

The  Mandatory  System — The  tutelage  of  nations  not  yet  able  to  stand  by  themselves 
will  be  intrusted  to  advanced  nations  who  are  best  fitted  to  undertake  it. 

The  covenant  recognizes  three  different  stages  of  development,  requiring  different 
kinds  of  mandatories: 

Communities  like  those  belonging  to  the  Turkish  empire,  which  can  be  provisionally 
recognized  as  independent,  subject  to  advice  and  assistance  from  a  mandatory  in  whose 
selection  they  would  be  allowed  a  voice. 

4S4 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Communities  like  those  of  Central  Africa,  to  be  administered  by  the  mandatory, 
under  conditions  generally  approved  by  the  members  of  the  league,  where  equal  oppor- 
tunities for  trade  will  be  allowed  to  all  members;  certain  abuses,  such  as  trade  in 
slaves,  arms,  and  liquor,  will  be  prohibited,  and  the  construction  of  military  and  naval 

(bases  and  the  introduction  of  compulsory  military  training  will  be  disallowed. 

f  Other  communities,  such  as  Southwest  Africa  and  the  south  Pacific  islands,  but 
administered  under  the  laws  of  the  mandatory  as  integral  portions  of  its  territory.  In 
every  case  the  mandatory  will  render  an  annual  report,  and  the  degree  of  its  authority 

I  will  be  defined. 

Conditions  of  World  Labor 

Subject  to  and  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  international  conventions 
existing,  or  hereafter  to  be  agreed  upon,  the  members  of  the  league  will,  in  general, 
endeavor  through  the  international  organization  established  by  the  labor  convention  to 
secure  and  maintain  fair  conditions  of  labor  for  men,  women,  and  children  in  their 
own  countries,  and  other  countries,  and  undertake  to  secure  just  treatment  of  the 
native  inhabitants  of  territories  under  their  control;  they  will  intrust  the  league  with 
the  general  supervision  over  the  execution  of  agreements  for  the  suppression  of  traflSc 
in  women  and  children,  etc.;  and  the  control  of  the  trade  in  arms  and  ammunition  with 
countries  in  which  control  is  necessary;  they  will  make  provision  for  freedom  of  com- 
munications and  transit  and  equitable  treatment  for  commerce  of  all  members  of  the 
league,  with  special  reference  to  the  necessities  of  regions  devastated  during  the  war; 
and  they  will  endeavor  to  take  steps  for  international  prevention  and  control  of  disease. 

International  bureaus  and  commissions  already  established  will  be  placed  under 
the  league,  as  well  as  those  to  be  established  in  the  future. 

Amendments  to  the  covenant  will  take  effect  when  ratified  by  the  council  and  by 
a  majority  of  the  assembly. 

New  Limits  for  Germajiy 

Boundaries  of  Germany — Germany  cedes  to  France  Alsace-Lorraine,  5,600  square 
miles,  it  to  be  southwest,  and  to  Belgium  two  small  districts  between  Luxemburg  and 
Holland  totaling  382  square  miles. 

She  also  cedes  to  Poland  the  southeastern  tip  of  Silesia,  beyond  and  including 
Oppeln,  most  of  Posen,  and  West  Prussia,  27,686  square  miles.  East  Prussia  being 
isolated  from  the  main  body  by  a  part  of  Poland. 

She  loses  sovereignty  over  the  northeasternmost  tip  of  East  Prussia,  forty  square 
miles  north  of  the  river  Memel,  and  the  internationalized  areas  about  Danzig,  729 
square  miles,  and  the  basin  of  the  Saar,  738  square  miles,  between  the  western  border 
of  the  Rhenish  Palatinate  of  Bavaria  and  the  southeast  corner  of  Luxemburg, 

The  Danzig  area  consists  of  the  V  between  the  Nogat  and  Vistula  rivers  made 
a  W  by  the  addition  of  a  similar  V  on  the  west,  including  the  city  of  Danzig. 

The  southeastern  third  of  East  Prussia  and  the  area  between  East  Prussia  and  the 
Vistula  north  of  latitude  53  degrees  3  minutes  is  to  have  its  nationality  determined  by 
popular  vote,  5,785  square  miles,  as  is  to  be  the  case  in  part  of  Schleswig,  2,787  square 
miles. 

Recovered  Lands 

SECTION  III 

Belgium — Germany  is  to  consent  to  the  abrogation  of  the  treaties  of  1839,  by 
which  Belgium  was  established  as  a  neutral  state,  and  to  agree  in  advance  to  any 
convention  with  which  the  allied  and  associated  powers  may  determine  to  replace 
them. 

Germany  is  to  recognize  the  full  sovereignty  of  Belgium  over  the  contested  territory 
of  Morenet  and  over  part  of  Prussian  Morenet,  and  to  renounce  in  favor  of  Belgium  all 
rights  of  the  circles  of  Eupen  and  Malmedy,  the  inhabitants  of  which  are  to  be  entitled, 
within  six  months,  to  protest  against  this  change  of  sovereignty,  either  in  whole  or  in 
part,  the  final  decision  to  be  reserved  to  the  league  of  nations. 

A  commission  is  to  settle  the  details  of  the  frontier,  and  various  regulations  for 
change  of  nationality  are  laid  down. 

485 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Luxemburg — Germany  renounces  her  various  treaties  and  conventions  with  the  Grand 
Duchv  of  Luxemburg,  recognizes  that  it  ceased  to  be  a  part  of  the  German  Zollverein 
from  January  1,  last,  renounces  all  right  of  exploitation  of  the  railroads,  adheres  to 
the  abrogation  of  its  neutrality,  and  accepts  in  advance  any  international  agreement 
as  to  it,  reached  by  the  allied  and  associated  powers. 

Left  Bank  of  the  RMne — As  provided  in  the  military  (armistice)  clauses,  Germany 
will  not  maintain  any  fortifications  or  armed  forces  less  than  fifty  kilometers  to  the 
e-ast  of  the  Ehine,  hold  any  maneuvers,  nor  maintain  any  works  to  facilitate  mobilization. 

In  case  of  violation,  ''she  shall  be  regarded  as  committing  a  hostile  act  against  the 
powers  who  sign  the  present  treaty  and  as  intending  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the 
world." 

Bv  virtue  of  the  present  treaty.  Germany  shall  be  bound  to  respond  to  any  request 
for  an  explanation  which  the  council  of  the  league  of  nations  may  think  it  necessary 
to  address  to  her. 

Alsace-Lorraine — After  recognition  of  the  moral  obligation  to  repair  the  wrong 
done  in  1S71  by  Germany  to  France  and  the  people  of  Alsace-Lorraine,  the  territories 
ceded  to  Germany  by  the  treaty  of  Frankfort  are  restored  to  France  with  their  frontiers 
as  before  1871,  to  date  from  the  signing  of  the  armistice,  and  to  be  free  of  all  public 

debts.  .... 

Citizenship  is  regulated  by  detailed  provisions  distinguishing  those  who  are  imme- 
diately restored  to  full  French  citizenship,  those  who  have  to  make  formal  applications 
therefor,   and   those  for  whom   naturalization   is   open   after   three   years. 

The  last  named  class  includes  German  residents  in  Alsace-Lorraine,  as  distinguished 
from  those  who  acquire  the  position  of  Alsace-Lorrainers  as  defined  in  the  treaty. 

All  public  property  and  all  private  property  of  German  ex-sovereigns  passe*  to 
France  without  payment  or  credit,  France  is  substituted  for  Germany  as  regards  owner- 
ship of  the  railroads  and  rights  over  concessions  of  tramways. 

The  Rhine  bridges  pass  to  France  with  the  obligation  for  their  upkeep. 

For  five  years  manufactured  products  of  Alsace-Lorraine  will  be  admitted  to 
Germany  free  of  duty  to  a  total  amount  not  exceeding  in  any  year  the  average  of  the 
three  years  preceding  the  war,  and  textile  materials  may  be  imported  from  Germany 
to  Alsace-Lorraine  and  re-exported  free  of  duty.  Contracts  for  electric  power  from  the 
right  bank  must  be  continued  for  ten  years. 

For  seven  years,  with  possible  extension  to  ten,  the  ports  of  Kehae  and  Strasbourg 
shall  be  administered  as  a  single  unit  by  a  French  administrator  appointed  and  supervised 
by  the  Central  Ehine  commission. 

Property  rights  will  be  safeguarded  in  both  ports  and  equality  of  treatment  as 
respects  traffic  assured  the  nationals,  vessels,  and  goods  of  every  country. 

Contracts  between  Alsace-Lorrainers  and  Germane  are  maintained,  except  for 
France 's  right  to  annul  on  grounds  of  public  interest  judgments  of  courts  held  in 
certain  classes  of  cases,  while  in  others  a  judicial  exequatur  is  first  required. 

Political  condemnations  during  the  war  are  null  and  void  and  the  obligation  to  repay 
war  fines  is  established  as  in  other  parts  of  allied  territory. 

Various  clauses  adjust  the  general  provisions  of  the  treaty  to  the  special  conditions 
of  Alsace-Lorraine,  certain  matters  of  execution  being  left  to  conventions  to  be  made 
between  France  and  Germany. 

The  Saar  Valley  Question 

The  Saar — In  compensation  for  the  destruction  of  coal  mines  for  northern  Prance 
and  as  payment  on  account  of  reparation,  Germany  cedes  to  France  full  ownership  of 
the  coal  mines  of  the  Saar  basin  with  their  subsidiaries,  accessories,  and  facilities. 

Their  value  will  be  estimated  by  the  reparation  commission  and  credited  against  that 
aC':'ount.  The  French  rights  will  be  governed  by  German  law  in  force  at  the  armistice 
excepting  war  legislation,  France  replacing  the  present  owners  whom  Germany  under- 
takes to  indemnify.  France  will  continue  to  furnish  the  present  proportion  of  coal 
for  local  needs  and  contribute  in  just  proportion  to  local  taxes. 

486 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

The  basin  extends  from  the  frontier  of  Lorraine  as  reannexed  to  France  north  as  far 
aa  St.  Wendel,  including  on  the  west  the  valley  of  the  Saar  as  far  as  Saarkolzbach 
and  on  the  east  the  town  of  Homburg. 

In  order  to  secure  the  rights  and  welfare  of  the  population  and  to  guarantee  to 
France  entire  freedom  in  working  the  mines,  the  territory  will  be  governed  by  a 
commission  appointed  by  the  league  of  nations  and  consisting  of  five  members,  one 
French,  one  a  native  inhabitant  of  the  Saar  and  three  representing  three  different  coun- 
tries other  than  France  and  Germany. 

The  league  will  appoint  a  member  of  the  commission  as  chairman  to  act  as 
executive  of  the  commission.  The  commission  will  have  all  powers  of  government 
formerly  belonging  to  the  German  empire. 

Prussia  and  Bavaria  will  administer  the  railroads  and  other  public  services  and 
have  full  power  to  interpret  the  treaty  clauses. 

The  local  courts  will  continue,  but  subject  to  the  commission.  Existing  German 
legislation  will  remain  the  basis  of  the  law,  but  the  commission  may  make  modification 
after  consulting  a  local  representative  assembly  which  it  will  organize.  It  will  have 
the  taxing  power,  but  for  local  purposes  only.  New  taxes  must  be  approved  by  this 
assembly. 

Labor  legislation  will  consider  the  wishes  of  the  local  labor  organizations  and  the 
labor  program  of  the  league.  French  and  other  labor  may  be  freely  utilized,  the 
former  being  free  to  belong  to  French  unions.  All  rights  acquired  as  to  pensions 
and  social  insurance  will  be  maintained  by  Germany  and  the  Saar  commission. 

There  will  be  no  military  service,  but  only  a  local  gendarmerie  to  preserve  order. 

The  people  will  preserve  their  local  assemblies,  religious  liberties,  schools,  and 
language,  but  may  vote  only  for  local  assemblies.  They  will  keep  their  present 
nationality  except  so  far  as  individuals  may  change  it.  Those  wishing  to  leave  will 
have  every  facility  with  respect  to  their  property. 

The  territory  will  form  part  of  the  French  customs  system,  with  no  export  tax 
on  coal  and  metallurgical  products  going  to  Germany  nor  on  German  products  enter- 
ing the  basin,  and  for  five  years  no  import  duties  on  products  of  the  basin,  going  to 
Germany  or  German  products  coming  into  the  basin  for  local   consumption. 

French  money  may  circulate  without  restriction.  After  fifteen  years  a  plebiscite 
will  be  held  by  communes  to  ascertain  the  desires  of  the  population  as  to  continuance 
of  the  existing  regime  under  the  league  of  nations,  union  with  France,  or  union  with 
Germany.  The  right  to  vote  will  belong  to  all  inhabitants  over  20  resident  therein 
at  the  signature. 

Taking  into  account  the  opinions  thus  expressed,  the  league  will  decide  the  ultimate 
sovereignty.  In  any  portion  restored  to  Germany  the  German  government  must  buy 
out  the  French  mines  at  an  appraised  valuation. 

If  the  price  is  not  paid  within  six  months  thereafter  this  portion  passes  finally 
to  France.  If  Germany  buys  back  the  mines,  the  league  will  determine  how  much 
of  the  coal  shall  be  annually  sold  to  France. 

New  Nations  Recognized 

SECTION  rv 

Qeiman  Austria. — Germany  recognizes  the  total  independence  of  German-Austria 
in  the  boundaries  traced. 

Ozecho-Slovakla. — Germany  recognizes  the  entire  independence  of  the  Czecho- 
slovak state,  including  the  autonomous  territory  of  the  Ruthenians  south  of  the 
Carpathians  and  accepts  the  frontiers  of  this  state  as  to  be  determined,  which  in  the  case 
of  the  German  frontier  shall  follow  the  frontier  of  Bohemia  in  1914,  The  usual  stipu- 
lations as  to  acquisition  and  change  of  nationality  follow. 

Poland. — Germany  cedes  to  Poland  the  greater  part  of  upper  Silesia,  Posen  and  the 
province  of  West  Prussia  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Vistula.  A  field  boundary  commission 
of  seven — five  representing  the  allied  and  associated  powers  and  one  each  representing 
Poland  and  Germany — shall  be  constituted  within  fifteen  days  of  the  peace  to  delimit 
this  boundary.     Sueh  special  provisions  as  are  necessary  to  protect  racial,  llnguisMe, 

487 


TEE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

or  religious  minority  and  to  protect  freedom  of  transit  and  equitable  treatment  of 
commerce  of  other  nations  shall  be  laid  down  in  a  subsequent  treaty  between  the 
five  allied  and  associated  powers  and  Poland. 

East  Prussia. — The  southern  and  eastern  frontier  of  East  Prussia  as  Bucing  (word 
obscure)  Poland  is  to  be  fixed  by  plebiscite,  the  first  in  the  regency  of  Allenstein  between 
the  southern  frontier  of  East  Prussia  and  the  northern  frontier  of  Eegierungsbesirk 
Allenstein,  from  where  it  meets  the  boundary  between  East  and  "West  Prussia  to  its 
iunctioji  with  the  boundary  between  the  circles  of  Oletsko  and  Augersburg,  thence 
iKie  northern  boundary  of  Oletsko  to  its  junction  with  the  present  frontier,  and  the 
second  in  the  area  comprising  the  circles  of  Stuhm  and  Rosenburg  and  the  parts  of  the 
circles  of  Marienburg  and  Marienwerder  east  of  the  Vistula. 

In  each  case  German  troops  and  authorities  will  move  out  within  fifteen  days 
of  the  peace  and  the  territories  be  placed  under  an  international  commission  of 
five  members  appointed  by  the  five  allied  and  associated  powers,  with  the  particular 
duty  of  arranging  for  a  free,  fair,  and  secret  vote.  The  commission  will  report 
the  results  of  the  plebiscites  to  the  five  powers  with  a  recommendation  for  the  boundary, 
sad  will  terminate  its  work  as  soon  as  the  boundary  has  been  laid  down  and  new 
authorities  set  up. 

The  five  allied  and  associated  powers  will  draw  up  regulations  assuring  East 
Prussia  full  and  equitable  access  to  and  use  of  the  Vistula.  A  subsequent  convention, 
of  which  the  terms  will  be  fixed  by  the  five  allied  and  associated  powers,  will  be  entered 
Into  betweeJi  Poland,  Germany  and  Danzig,  to  assure  suitable  railroad  communica- 
tion across  German  territory  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Vistula  between  Poland  and 
Danzig  while  Poland  shall  grant  free  passage  from  East  Prussia  to  Germany. 

The  northeastern  corner  of  East  Prussia,  about  Memel,  is  to  be  ceded  by  Ger- 
many to  the  associated  powers,  the  former  agreeing  to  accept  the  settlement  made, 
especially  as   regards  the   nationality   of   the  inhabitants. 

Danzig  a  Free  City 

Danzig. — Danzig  and  the  District  immediately  about  it  is  to  be  constituted  into 
the  "free  city  of  Danzig,"  under  the  guarantee  of  the  league  of  nations.  A  high 
commissioner,  appointed  by  the  league  and  president  at  Danzig  shall  draw  up  a  con- 
stitution in  agreement  with  the  duly  appointed  representatives  of  the  city,  and  shall 
deal  in  the  first  instance  with  all  differences  arising  between  the  city  and  Poland. 

The  actual  boundaries  of  the  city  shall  be  delimited  by  a  commission  appointed 
within  six  months  from  the  peace  and  to  include  three  representatives  chosen  by  the 
allied  and  associated  powers  and  one  each  by  Germany  and  Poland. 

A  convention,  the  terms  of  which  shall  be  fixed  by  the  five  allied  and  associated 
powers,  shall  be  concluded  between  Poland  and  Danzig,  which  shall  include  Danzig 
within  the  Polish  custom  frontiers,  though  a  free  area  in  the  port;  insure  to  Poland 
the  free  use  of  all  the  city 's  waterways,  docks,  and  other  port  facilities,  the  control 
and  administration  of  the  Vistula  and  the  whole  through  railway  systems  within 
the  city  and  postal,  telegraphic,  and  telephonic  communication  between  Poland  and 
Danzig;  provide  against  discrimination  against  Poles  within  the  city  and  place  its 
foreign  relations  and  the  diplomatic  protection  of  its  citizens  abroad  in  charge  of 
Poland. 

Denmark. — The  frontier  between  Germany  and  Denmark  will  be  fixed  by  the 
self-determination  of  the  population.  Ten  days  from  the  peace  Gorman  troops  and 
authorities  shall  evacuate  the  region  north  of  the  line  running  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Schlei  south  of  Kappel,  Schleswig,  and  Friedrichstadt,  along  the  Eider  to  the 
North  sea,  south  of  Tonning;  the  workmen  and  soldiers'  councils  shall  be  dissolved; 
ajid  the  territory  administered  by  an  international  commission  of  five,  of  whom  Norway 
and  Sweden  shall  be  invited  to  name  two. 

The  commission  shall  insure  a  free  and  secret  vote  in  three  zones.  That  between 
the  German-Danish  frontier  and  line  running  south  of  the  Island  of  Alaen,  north  of 
Flenaburg  and  south  of  Tondern  to  the  North  sea,  north  of  the  Island  of  Sylt,  will  vote  as 

488 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

a  unit  within  three  weeks  after  the  evacuation.  Within  five  weeks  after  this  vote  the 
second  zone,  whose  aouthern  boundary  runs  from  the  North  sea  south  of  the  Island  of 
Fehr  to  the  Baltic,  south  of  Sygum,  will  vote  by  communes. 

Two  weeks  after  that  vote  the  third  zone,  running  to  the  limit  of  evacuation, 
also  will  vote  by  communes.  The  international  commission  will  then  draw  a  new 
frontier  on  the  basis  of  these  plebiscites  and  with  due  regard  for  geographical  and 
economic  conditions.  Germany  will  renounce  all  sovereignty  over  the  territories 
north  of  this  line  in  favor  of  the  associate  governments,  who  will  hand  them  over 
to  Denmark. 

Helgoland — The  fortifications,  military  establishments,  and  harbors  of  the  islands 
of  Helgoland  and  Dune  are  to  be  destroyed  under  the  supervision  of  the  allies  by 
German  labor  and  at  Germany's  expense.  They  may  not  be  reconstructed  or  any 
similar  fortification  built  in  the  future. 

Russia — Germany  agrees  to  respect  as  permanent  and  inalienable  the  indepen- 
dency of  all  territories  which  were  part  of  the  former  Russian  empire,  to  accept 
the  abrogation  of  the  Brest-Litovsk  and  other  treaties  entered  into  with  the  Maximalist 
government  of  Russia,  to  recognize  the  full  force  of  all  treaties  entered  into  by 
the  allied  and  associated  powers  with  states  which  were  a  part  of  the  former  Russian 
empire,  and  to  recognize  the  frontiers  as  determined  thereon. 

The  allied  and  associated  powers  formally  reserve  the  right  of  Russia  to  obtain 
restitution  and  reparation  on  the  principles  of  the  present  treaty. 

Colonies  and  Overseas  Possessions 

SECTION  V 

Outside  Europe,  Germany  renounces  all  rights,  titles,  and  privileges  as  to  her 
own  or  her  allies'  territories  to  all  the  allied  and  associated  powers  and  undertakes 
to  accept  whatever  measures  are  taken  by  the  five  allied  powers  in  relation  thereto. 

Colonies  and  overseas  possessions — Germany  renounces  in  favor  of  the  allied  and 
associated  powers  her  overseas  possessions,  with  all  rights  and  titles  therein.  AH 
movable  and  immovable  property  belonging  to  the  German  empire  or  to  any  German 
state  shall  pass  to  the  government  exercising  authority  therein. 

These  governments  may  make  whatever  provisions  seem  suitable  for  the  repatria- 
tion of  German  nationals  and  as  to  the  conditions  on  which  German  subjects  of 
European  origin  shall  reside,  hold  property,  or  carry  on  business. 

Germany  undertakes  to  pay  reparation  for  damage  suffered  by  French  nationals 
in  the  Cameroons  or  its  frontier  zone  through  the  acts  of  German  civil  and  military 
authorities  and  of  individual  Germans  from  Jan.  1,  1900,  to  Aug.  1,  1914. 

Germany  renounces  all  rights  under  the  convention  of  Nov.  4,  1911,  and  Sept. 
29,  1912,  and  undertakes  to  pay  to  France  in  accordance  with  an  estimate  presented 
and  approved  by  the  repatriation  commission  all  deposits,  credits,  advances,  etc., 
thereby  secured. 

Germany  undertakes  to  accept  and  observe  any  provisions  by  the  allied  and 
associated  powers  as  to  the  trade  in  arms  and  spirits  in  Africa,  as  well  as  to  the 
general  act  of  Berlin  of  1885  and  the  general  act  of  Brussels  of  1890,  Diplomatic 
protection  to  inhabitants  of  former  German  colonies  is  to  be  given  by  the  govern- 
ments exercising  authority. 

China — Germany  renounces  in  favor  of  China  all  privileges  and  indemnities  result- 
ing from  the  Boxer  protocol  of  1901,  and  all  buildings,  wharves,  barracks,  forts, 
munitions  of  warships,  wireless  plants,  and  other  public  property  except  diplomatic 
or  consular  establishments  in  the  German  concessions  of  Tientsin  and  Hankow  and  in 
other  Chinese  territory  except  Kiau-Chau,  and  agrees  to  return  to  China,  at  its  own 
expense,  all  the  astronomical  instruments  seized  in  1901. 

China  will,  however,  take  no  measures  for  disposal  of  German  property  in  the 
legation  quarter  at  Peking  without  the  consent  of  the  powers  signatory  to  the  Boxer 
protocel. 

489 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Germany  accepts  all  abrogation  of  the  concessions  at  Hankow  and  Tientsin,  China 
agreeing  to  open  them  to  international  use. 

Germany  renounces  all  claims  against  China  or  any  allied  and  associated  govern- 
ment for  the  internment  or  repatriation  of  her  citizens  in  China  and  for  the  seizure 
or  liquidation  of  German  interests  there  since  Aug.  1917. 

She  renounces  in  favor  of  Great  Britain  her  state  property  in  the  British  eon- 
cession  at  Canton  and  of  France  and  China  jointly  of  the  property  of  the  German 
school  in  the  French  concession  at  Shanghai. 

Slam — Germany  recognizes  that  all  agreements  between  herself  and  Siam,  includ- 
ing the  right  of  extra-territoriality  ceased  July  22,  1917.  All  German  public  property 
except  consular  and  diplomatic  premises  passes  without  compensation  to  Siam,  Ger- 
man private  property  to  be  dealt  with  in  accordance  with  the  economic  clauses.  Ger- 
many waives  all  claims  against  Siam  for  the  seizure  and  condemnation  of  her  ships, 
liquidation  of  her  property,  or  internment  of  her  nationals. 

Liberia — Germany  renounces  all  rights  under  the  international  arrangements  of 
1911  and  1912  regarding  Liberia,  more  particularly  the  right  to  nominate  a  receiver 
of  the  customs,  and  disinterests  herself  in  any  further  negotiations  for  the  rehabilita- 
tion of  Liberia. 

She  regards  as  abrogated  all  commercial  treaties  and  agreements  between  her- 
self and  Liberia,  and  recognizes  Liberia's  right  to  determine  the  status  and  condi- 
tion of  the  re-establishment  of  Germans  in  Liberia. 

Morocco — Germany  renounces  all  her  rights,  titles  and  privileges  under  the  act 
of  Algeciras  and  the  Franco-German  agreements  of  1909  and  1911,  and  under  all  treaties 
and  arrangements  with  the  Sherifian  empire. 

She  undertakes  not  to  intervene  in  any  negotiations  as  to  Morocco  between  France 
and  other  powers,  accepts  all  the  consequences  of  the  French  protectorate  and  renounces 
the  capitulations.  The  Sherifian  government  shall  have  complete  liberty  of  action 
in  regard  to  German  nationals,  and  all  German  protected  persons  shall  be  subject 
to    the   common   law. 

All  movable  and  immovable  German  property,  including  mining  rights  may  be 
»old  at  public  auction,  the  proceeds  to  be  paid  to  the  Sherifian  government  and 
deducted  from  the  reparation  account.  Germany  is  also  required  to  reliquiah  her  interests 
in  the  state  bank  or  Morocco.  All  Moroccan  goods  entering  Germany  shall  have  the 
same  privilege  as  French  goods. 

Egypt — Germany  recognizes  the  British  protectorate  over  Egypt  declared  on  Dec.  18, 
1914,  and  renounces  as  from  Aug.  4,  1914,  the  capitulation  and  all  the  treaties,  agree- 
ments, etc.,  concluded  by  her  with  Egypt.  She  undertakes  not  to  intervene  in  any 
negotiations  about  Egypt  between  Great  Britain  and  other  powers.  There  are  pro- 
visions for  jurisdiction  over  German  nationals  and  property,  and  for  German  consent 
to  any  changes  which  may  be  made  in  relation  to  the  commission  of  public  debt. 

Germany  consents  to  the  transfer  to  Great  Britain  of  the  powers  given  to 
the  late  sultan  of  Turkey  for  securing  the  free  navigation  of  the  Suez  canal. 

Arrangements  for  property  belonging  to  German  nationals  in  Egypt  are  made 
similar  to  those  in  the  case  of  Morocco  and  other  countries.  Anglo-Egyptian  goods 
entering  Germany  shall  enjoy  the  same  treatment  as  British  goods. 

Tnrkey  and.  Bulgaria — Germany  accepts  all  arrangements  which  the  allied  and 
associated  powers  make  with  Turkey  and  Bulgaria  with  reference  to  any  right,  privi- 
leges, or  interests  claimed  in  those  countries  by  Germany  or  her  nationals  and  not 
dealt  with  elsewhere. 

Shantung — Germany  cedes  to  Japan  all  rights,  titles  and  privileges,  notably  as 
to  Kiau-Ohau  and  the  railroads,  mines  and  cables  acquired  by  her  treaty  with  China 
of  March  6,  1897,  and  other  agreements  as  to  Shantung. 

All  German  rights  to  the  railroad  from  Tsingtao  to  Tsinaufu,  including  all  facili- 
ties and  mining  rights  and  rights  of  exploitation,  pass  equally  to  Japan  and  tbo 
cables  from  Tsingtao  to  Shanghai  and  Chefoo,  the  cables  free  of  all  charges. 

All  German  state  property,  movable  or  immovable,  in  Kiau-Chau  is  acquired  by 
Japan  free  of  all  charges. 

490 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Military  and  Naval  Forces 
SECTION  VI 

In  order  to  render  possible  the  initiation  of  a  general  limitation  of  the  arma- 
ments of  all  nations  Germany  undertakes  directly  to  observe  the  military,  naval 
and  air  clauses  which  follow:  '  ' 

Military  forces^The  demobilization  of  the  German  army  must  take  place  within 
two  months  of  the  peace.  Its  strength  may  not  exceed  100,000,  including  4,000  officers, 
with  not  over  seven  divisions  of  infantry,  and  three  of  cavalry,  to  be  devoted  exclusively 
to  maintenance  of  internal  order  and  control  of  frontiers.  Divisions  may  not  be 
grouped  under  more  than  two  army  corps  headquarters  staffs. 

The  great  German  general  staff  is  abolished.  The  army  administrative  service, 
consisting  of  civilian  personnel  not  included  in  the  number  of  effectives,  is  reduced 
to  one-tenth  the  total  in  the  1913  budget. 

Employes  of  the  German  states  such  as  customs  officers,  first  guards  and  coast 
guards  may  not  exceed  the  number  in  1913.  Gendarmes  and  local  police  may  be  increased 
only  in  accordance  with  the  growth  of  population.  None  of  these  may  be  assembled 
for  military  training. 

Armaments — All  establishments  for  the  manufacturing,  preparation,  storage,  or 
design  of  arms  and  munitions  of  war,  except  those  specifically  excepted,  must  be 
closed  within  three  months  of  the  peace  and  their  personnel  dismissed. 

The  exact  amount  of  armament  and  munitions  allowed  Germany  is  laid  down  in 
detail  tables,  all  in  excess  to  be  surrendered  or  rendered  useless. 

The  manufacture  or  importation  of  asphyxiating,  poisonous,  or  other  gases  and  all 
analogous  liquids  is  forbidden  as  well  as  the  importation  of  arms,  munitions,  and  war 
materials.     Germany  may  not  manufacture  such  materials  for  foreign  governments. 

Conscription — Conscription  is  abolished  in  Germany.  The  enlisted  personnel  must 
be  maintained  by  voluntary  enlistments  for  terms  of  twelve  consecutive  years,  the 
number  of  discharges  before  the  expiration  of  that  term  not  in  any  years  to  exceed 
5  per  cent  of  the  total  effectives. 

Officers  remaining  in  the  service  must  agree  to  serve  to  the  age  of  45  years  and 
newly  appointed  officers  must  agree  to  serve  actively  for  twenty-five  years. 

No  military  schools,  except  those  absolutely  indispensable  for  the  units  allowed, 
shall  exist  in  Germany  two  months  after  the  peace.  No  associations,  such  as  societies 
of  discharged  soldiers,  shooting  or  touring  clubs,  educational  establishments  or  uni- 
versities, may  occupy  themselves  with  military  matters.  All  measures  of  mobiliza- 
tion are  forbidden. 

Fortresses — All  fortified  works,  fortresses,  and  field  works  situated  in  German 
territory  within  a  zone  fifty  kilometers  east  of  the  Ehine  will  be  dismantled  within 
three  months.  The  construction  of  any  new  fortifications  there  is  forbidden.  The 
fortified  works  on  the  southern  and  eastern  frontiers,  however,  may  remain. 

Control--Interallied  commissions  of  control  will  see  to  the  execution  of  the 
provisions  for  which  a  time  limit  is  set,  the  maximum  named  being  three  months.  They 
may  establish  headquarters  at  the  German  seat  of  government  and  go  to  aiiy  part 
of  Germany  desired.  -^ 

Germany  must  give  them  complete  facilities,  pay  their  expenses,  and  also  the 
expenses  of  execution  of  the  treaty,  including  the  labor  and  material  necessary  in 
demolition,  destruction,  or  surrender  of  war  equipment. 

Naval— The  German  navy  must  be  demobilized  within  a  period  of  two  months 
after  the  peace.  She  will  be  allowed  six  small  battleships,  six  light  cruisers  twelve 
destroj^ers,  twelve  torpedo  boats,  and  no  submarines,  either  military  or  commercial    with 


mini- 

of  the  German  mercantile  marine  will  be  permitted  any  naval  training! 

491 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

All  German  vessels  of  war  in  foreign  ports  and  the  German  high  sea  fleet  interned 
at  Scapa  Flow,  will  be  surrendered,  the  final  disposition  of  these  ships  to  be  decided 
upon  by  the  allied  and  associated  powers.  Germany  must  surrender  forty-two  modern 
destroyers,  fifty  modern  torpedo  boats  and  all  submarines,  with  their  salvage  vessels 
and  all  war  vessels  under  construction,  including  submarines,  must  be  broken  up. 

War  vessels  not  otherwise  provided  for  are  to  be  placed  in  reserve  or  used  for 
commercial  purposes.  Replacement  of  ships,  except  those  lost,  can  take  place  only 
at  the  end  of  twenty  years  for  battleships  and  fifteen  years  for  destroyers.  The 
largest  armored  ship  Germany  will  be  permitted  will  be  10,000  tons. 

Germany  is  required  to  sweep  up  the  mines  in  the  North  sea  and  the  Baltic 
sea,  as  decided  upon  by  the  allies.  All  German  fortifications  in  the  Baltic  defending 
the  passages  through  the  Delts  must  be  demolished.  Other  coast  defenses  are  per- 
mitted, but  the  number  and  caliber  of  the  guns  must  not  be  increased. 

During  a  period  of  three  months  after  the  peace,  German  high  power  wireless 
stations  at  Nauen,  Hanover,  and  Berlin  will  not  be  permitted  to  send  any  messages 
except  for  commercial  purposes  and  under  supervision  of  the  allied  and  associated 
governments,  nor  may  any  more  be  constructed. 

Germany  will  be  allowed  to  repair  German  submarine  cables  which  have  been 
cut  but  are  not  being  utilized  by  the  allied  powers,  and  also  portions  of  cables  which 
after  having  been  cut  have  been  removed  or  at  any  rate  not  being  utilized  by  any 
one  of  the  allied  and  associated  powers.  In  such  eases  the  cables  or  portions  of  cables 
removed  or  utilized  remain  the  property  of  allied  and  associated  powers,  and  accord- 
ingly fourteen  cables  or  parts  of  cables  are  specified,  which  will  not  be  restored  to 
Germany. 

Air — The  armed  forces  of  Germany  must  not  include  any  military  or  naval  air 
forces  except  for  not  over  100  unarmed  seaplanes  to  be  retained  till  Oct.  1  to  search 
for  submarine  mines.     No  dirigible  shall  be  kept. 

The  entire  air  personnel  is  to  be  demobilized  within  two  months,  except  for 
1,000  officers  and  men  retained  till  October. 

No  aviation  grounds  or  dirigible  sheds  are  to  be  allowed  within  150  kilometers 
of  the  Rhine  or  the  eastern  or  southern  frontiers,  existing  installations  within  these 
limits  to  be  destroyed. 

The  manufacture  of  aircraft  and  parts  of  aircraft  is  forbidden  for  six  months. 
All  military  and  naval  aeronautical  material  under  a  most  exhaustive  definition  must 
be  surrendered  within  three  months,  except  for  the  100  seaplanes  already  specified. 

Prisoners  of  War — The  repatriation  of  German  prisoners  and  interned  civilians 
is  to  be  carried  out  without  delay  and  at  Germany's  expense  by  a  commission  com- 
posed of  representatives  of  the  allies  in  Germany.  Those  under  sentence  for  offenses 
against  discipline  are  to  be  repatriated  without  regard  to  the  completion  of  their 
sentence. 

Until  Germany  has  surrendered  persons  guilty  of  offenses  against  the  laws  and 
customs  of  war,  the  allies  have  the  right  to  retain  selected  German  officers. 

The  allies  may  deal  at  their  own  discretion  with  German  nationals  who  do  not 
desire  to  be  repatriated,  all  repatriation  being  conditional  on  the  immediate  release 
of  any  allied  subjects  still  in  Germany. 

Germany  is  to  accord  facilities  to  commission  of  inquiry  in  collecting  information 
in  regard  to  missing  prisoners  of  war  and  of  imposing  penalties  on.  German  officials 
who  have  concealed  allied  nationals. 

Germany  is  to  restore  all  property  belonging  to  allied  prisoners.  There  is  to  be 
a.  reciprocal  exchange  of  information  as  to  dead  prisoners  and  their  graves. 

Graves — Both  parties  will  respect  and  maintain  the  graves  of  soldiers  and  sailors 
buried  on  their  territories,  agree  to  recognize  and  assist  any  commission  charged  by  any 
allied  or  associate  government  with  identifying,  registering,  maintaining,  or  erecting 
suitable  monuments  over  the  graves,  and  to  afford  to  each  other  all  facilities  for  the 
repatriation  of  the  remains  of  their  soldiers. 

492 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Trial  of  Wllhelm 

Eesponslbilities — The  allied  and  associated  powers  publicly  arraign  William  Sec- 
ond of  Hohenzollern,  formerly  German  emporer,  not  for  an  offense  against  criminal 
law,  but  for  a  supreme  offense  against  international  morality  and  the  sanctity  of 
treaties. 

The  ex-emperor's  surrender  is  to  be  requested  of  Holland  and  a  special  tribunal 
set  up  composed  of  one  judge  from  each  of  the  five  great  powers.  With  full  guarantees 
of  the  right  of  defense,  it  is  to  be  guided  by  the  highest  of  international  policy  with 
a  view  of  vindicating  the  solemn  obligations  of  international  undertakings  and  the 
validity  of  international  morality,  and  will  fix  the  punishment  it  feels  should  be 
imposed. 

Persons  accused  of  having  committed  acts  in  violation  of  the  laws  and  customs 
of  war  are  to  be  tried  and  punished  by  military  tribunals  under  military  law.  If  the 
charges  affect  nationals  of  only  one  state  they  will  be  tried  before  the  tribunal  of 
that  state;  if  they  affect  nationals  of  several  states,  they  will  be  tried  before  joint 
tribunals  of  the  states  concerned. 

Germany  shall  hand  over  to  the  associated  governments,  either  jointly  or  severally, 
all  persons  so  accused  and  all  documents  and  information  necessary  to  insure  full 
knowledge  of  the  incriminating  acts,  the  discovery  of  the  offenders,  and  the  just 
appreciation  of  the  responsibility. 

The  judge  (probably  error  for  accused)  will  be  entitled  to  name  his  own  counaeL 

Beparatlons 
SECTION  VII 

Reparations — The  allied  and  associated  goverments  affirm,  and  Germany  accepts, 
the  responsibility  of  herself  and  her  allies  for  causing  all  the  loss  and  damage  to 
which  the  allied  and  associated  governments  and  their  nationals  have  been  subjected 
as  a  consequence  of  the  war  imposed  upon  them  by  the  aggression  of  Germany  and 
her  allies. 

While  the  allied  and  associated  governments  recognize  that  the  resources  of 
Germany  are  not  adequate  after  taking  into  account  permanent  diminutions  of  such 
resources  which  will  result  from  other  treaty  claims,  to  make  complete  reparation 
for  all  such  loss  and  damage,  they  require  her  to  make  compensation  for  all  damages 
caused  to  civilians  under  seven  main  categories: 

A — Damages  by  personal  injury  to  civilians  caused  by  acts  of  war,  directly  or  indi- 
rectly, including  bombardments  from  the  air. 

B — Damages  caused  to  civilians,  including  exposure  at  sea,  resulting  from  acts  of 
cruelty  ordered  by  the  enemy  and  to  civilians  in  the  occupied  territories. 

€J— Damages  caused  by  maltreatment  of  prisoners. 

D — Damages  to  the  allied  peoples  represented  by  pensions  and  separation  allowances, 
capitalized  at  the  signature*  of  this  treaty. 

E — Damages  to  property  other  than  naval  or  military  materials. 

F— Damages  to  civilians  by  being  forced  to  labor. 

G — Damages  in  the  form  of  levies  or  fines  imposed  by  the  enemy. 

Germany  further  binds  herself  to  repay  all  sums  borrowed  by  Belgium  from  her 
allies  as  a  result  of  Germany's  violation  of  the  treaty  of  1839  up  to  Nov.  11,  1918  and 
for  this  purpose  will  issue  at  once  and  hand  over  to  the  reparation  commission  5  per 
cent  gold  bonds  falling  due  in  1926. 

The  total  obligation  of  Germany  to  pay  as  defined  in  the  category  of  damages 
is  to  be  determined  and  notified  to  her  after  a  fair  hearing  and  not  later  than  May  1 
1921,  by  an  interallied  reparation  commission.  ' 

At  the  same  time  a  schedule  of  payments  to  discharge  the  obligation  within  thirty 
years  shall  be  presented.  These  payments  are  subject  to  postponement  in  certain  con- 
tingencies. 

Germany  irrevocably  recognizes  the  full  authority  of  this  commission,  agrees  to 
supply  it  with  all  the  necessary  information  and  to  pass  legislation  to  eff.ectuate  its 
findings.  She  further  agrees  to  restore  to  the  allies  cash  and  certain  articlfcft  whi^b 
can  be  id«ntl&edk 

493 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

As  an  immediate  step  toward  restoration  Germany  shall  pay  within  two  years 
one  thousand  million  pounds  sterling  ($5,000,000,000),  in  either  gold,  goods,  ships,  or 
other  specific  forms  of  payment,  this  sum  being  included  in  and  not  additional  to  first 
thousand  million  bond  issue  referred  to  below,  with  the  understanding  that  certain 
expenses,  such  as  those  of  the  armies  of  occupation  and  payments  for  food  and  raw 
materials,  may  be  deducted  at  the  discretion  of  the  allies. 

In  periodically  estimating  Germany 's  capacity  to  pay,  the  reparation  commission 
shall  examine  the  German  system  of  taxation,  to  the  end  that  the  sums  for  reparation 
which  Germany  is  required  to  pay  shall  become  a  charge  upon  all  her  revenues,  prior 
to  that  for  the  ser\'ice  or  discharge  of  any  domestic  loan,  and  secondly,  so  as  to  satisfy 
itself  that,  in  general,  the  German  scheme  of  taxation  is  fully  as  heavy  proportionately 
as  that  of  any  of  the  powers  represented  on  the  commission. 

The  measures  which  the  allied  and  associated  powers  shall  have  the  right  to  take, 
in  case  of  voluntary  default  by  Germany  and  which  Germany  agrees  not  to  regard  as 
acts  of  war,  may  include  economic  and  financial  prohibitions  and  reprisals  and  in. 
general  such  other  measures  as  the  respective  governments  may  determine  to  be  neces- 
sary in  the  circumstances. 

The  commission  shall  consist  of  one  representative  each  of  the  United  States,  Great 
Britain,  France,  Italy  and  Belgium,  a  representative  of  Serbia  or  Japan  taking  the 
place  of  the  Belgian  representative  when  the  interests  of  either  country  are  particularly 
affected,  with  all  other  allied  powers  entitled  when  their  claims  are  under  considera- 
tion to  the  right  of  representation  without  voting  power.  It  shall  permit  Germany 
to  give  evidence  regarding  her  capacity  to  pay  and  shall  assure  a  just  opportunity 
to  be  heard. 

It  shall  make  its  headquarters  at  Paris,  establish  its  own  procedure  and  i>er80nnel, 
have  general  control  of  the  whole  reparation  problem,  and  become  the  exclusive  agency  of 
the  allies  for  receiving,  holding,  selling,  and  distributing  reparation  payments. 

Majority  vote  shall  prevail  except  that  unanimity  is  required  on  questions  involv- 
ing the  sovereignty  of  any  of  the  allies,  the  cancellation  of  all  or  part  of  Germany 's 
obligations,  the  time  and  manner  of  selling,  distributing,  and  negotiating  bonds  issued 
by  Germany,  any  postponement  between  1921  and  1926  of  annual  payments  beyond 
1930,  and  any  postponment  after  1926  for  a  period  of  more  than  three  years  of  the 
application  of  a  different  method  of  measuring  damage  than  in  a  similar  form  or  case 
and  the  interpretation  of  provisions. 

Withdrawal  from  representation  on  the  commission  is  permitted  upon  twelve  months' 
notice.  The  commission  may  require  Germany  to  give  from  time  to  time,  by  way  of 
guarantee,  issues  of  bonds  or  other  obligations  to  cover  such  claims  as  are  not  other- 
wise satisfied. 

In  this  connection  and  on  account  of  the  total  amount  of  claims,  bond  issues  are 
presently  to  be  required  of  Germany  in  acknowledgment  of  its  debt  as  follows: 

One  thousand  million  pounds  sterling  ($5,000,000,000)  payable  not  later  than  May  1, 
1921,  without  interest;  $10,000,000,000,  bearing  2^4  per  cent  interest  between  1921  and 
1926,  and  thereafter  5  per  cent,  with  a  1  per  cent  sinking  fund  payment  beginning 
in  1926,  and  an  undertaking  to  deliver  bonds  to  an  additional  amount  of  $10,000,000,000, 
bearing  interest  at  5  per  cent. 

Under  terms  to  be  fixed  by  the  commission,  interest  on  Germany 's  debt  will  be 
5  per  cent,  unless  otherwise  determined  by  the  commission  in  the  future,  and  pay- 
ments that  are  not  made  in  gold  may  be  accepted  by  the  commission  in  the  form  of 
properties,   commodities,   businesses,   rights,    concessions,    etc. 

Certificates  of  beneficial  interest,  representing  either  bonds  or  goods  delivered  by 
Germany  may  be  issued  by  the  commission  to  the  interested  powers.  As  bonds  are 
distributed  and  pass  from  the  control  of  the  commission  an  amount  of  Germ.any's  debt 
equivalent  to  their  par  value  is  to  be  considered  as  liquidated. 

494 


TEE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Shipping — The  German  government  recognizes  the  right  of  the  allies  to  the  replace- 
ment, ton  for  ton  and  class  for  class,  of  all  merchant  ships  and  fishing  boats  lost 
or  damaged  owing  to  the  war,  and  agrees  to  code  to  the  allies  all  German  merchant 
ships  of  1,600  tons  gross  and  upwards,  one-half  of  her  ships  between  1,000  and  1,600 
tons  gross,  and  one-quarter  of  her  steam  trawlers  and  other  fishing  boats.  These  ships 
are  to  be  delivered  within  two  months  to  the  reparation  commission,  together  with 
documents  of  title  evidencing  the  transfer  of  the  ships  free  from  incumbrance. 

"As  an  additional  part  of  reparation ' '  the  German  government  further  agrees 
to  build  merchant  ships  for  the  account  of  the  allies  to  the  amount  of  not  exceeding 
200,000  tons  gross  annually  during  the  next  five  years. 

All  ships  used  for  inland  navigation  taken  by  Germany  from  the  allies  are  to  be 
restored  within  two  months,  the  amount  of  loss  not  covered  by  such  restitution  to  be 
made  up  by  the  cession  of  the  German  river  fleet  up  to  20  per  cent  thereof. 

Devastated  Areas 

SECTION  vm 

Devastated  areas — Germany  undertakes  to  devote  her  economic  resources  directly 
to  the  physical  restoration  of  the  invaded  areas.  The  reparation  commiBsion  is  authorized 
to  require  Germany  to  replace  the  destroyed  articles  by  the  delivery  of  animals, 
machinery,  etc.,  existing  in  Germany  and  to  manufacture  materials  required  for  recon- 
struction purposes,  with  due  consideration  for  Germany's  essential  domestic  require- 
ments. 

Goal,  etc. — ^Germany  is  to  deliver  annually  for  ten  years  to  France  coal  equivalent 
to  the  difference  between  annual  pre-war  output  of  Nord  and  Pas  de  Calais  mines  and 
annual  production  during  above  ten  years.  Germany,  further,  gives  options  over  ten 
years  for  delivery  of  7,000,000  tons  coal  per  year  to  France,  in  addition  to  the  above; 
of  8,000,000  tons  to  Belgium,  and  of  an  amount  rising  from  4,500,000  tons  in  1919 
to  1920  to  8,500,000  tons  in  1923  to  1924  to  Italy  at  prices  to  be  fixed  as  prescribed  in 
the  treaty.  Coke  may  be  taken  in  place  of  eoal  in  ratio  of  three  tons  to  four.  Fro- 
vision  is  also  made  for  delivery  to  France  over  three  years  of  benzol,  coal  tar,  and 
sulphate  of  ammonia.  The  commission  has  powers  to  postpone  or  annul  the  above 
deliveries  should  they  interfere  unduly  with  industrial  requirements  of  Germany. 

Dyestuffs — Germany  accords  option  to  the  commission  on  dyestuffs  and  chemical 
drugs,  including  quinine,  up  to  50  per  cent  of  total  stock  in  Germany  at  the  time 
the  treaty  comes  in  force  and  similar  options  during  each  six  months  to  end  of  1924  up 
to  25  per  cent  of  previous  six  months '  output. 

Cables — Germany  renounces  all  title  to  specified  cables,  value  of  such  as  were 
privately  owned  being  credited  to  her  against  reparation  indebtedness. 

Sp^al  provisions — As  reparation  for  the  destruction  of  the  library  of  Louvain, 
Germany  is  to  hand  over  manuscripts,  early  printed  books,  prints,  etc.,  to  be  equivalent 
to  those  destroyed. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  Germany  is  to  hand  over  to  Belgium  wings  now  at  Berlin 
belonging  to  the  altar  piece  of  the  "Adoration  of  the  Lamb,"  by  Hubert  and  Jan  Van 
Eyck,  the  center  of  which  is  now  in  the  church  of  St.  Bavo  at  Ghent,  and  the  wings 
now  at  Berlin  and  Munich,  of  the  altar  piece  of  "Last  Supper,"  by  Dirk  Bouts,  the 
center  of  which  belongs  to  the  church  of  St.  Peter  at  Louvain, 

Germany  is  to  restore  within  six  months  the  koran  of  the  Caliph  Ottman,  formerly 
at  Medina  to  the  king  of  the  Hedjaz,  and  the  skull  of  the  Sultan  Mkwawa,  formerly 
in  German  East  Africa,  to  His  Britannic  Majesty's  government. 

Pre-Wax  Debts 
SECTION  IX 
Finance — Powers  to  which  German  territory  is  ceded  will  assume  a  certain  por- 
tion of  the  German  pre-war  debt,  the  amount  to  be  fixed  by  the  reparations  commission 
on  the  basis  of  the  ratio  between  the  revenue  of  the  ceded  territory  and  Germany's 
total  revenues  for  the  three  years  preceding  the  war. 

495 


TEE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

In  view,  however,  of  the  special  circumstances  under  which  Alsace-Lorraine  was 
separated  from  France  in  1871,  when  Germany  refused  to  accept  any  part  of  the  French 
public  debt,  France  will  not  assume  any  part  of  Germany's  pre-war  debt  there,  nor  will 
Poland  share  in  certain  German  debts  incurred  for  the  oppression  of  Poland. 

If  the  value  of  the  German  public  property  in  ceded  territory  exceeds  the  amount 
of  debt  assumed,  the  states  to  which  property  is  ceded  give  credit  on  reparation  for 
the  excess,  with  the  exception  of  Alsace-Lorraine. 

Mandatory  powers  will  not  assume  any  German  debts  or  give  any  credit  for  Ger- 
man government  property. 

Germany  renounces  all  right  of  representation  on,  or  control  of,  state  banks,  com- 
missions, or  other  similar  international  financial  and  economic  organizations. 

Must  Pay  For  Occupation 

Germany  is  required  to  pay  for  the  total  cost  of  the  armies  of  occupation  from  the 
date  of  the  armistice  as  long  as  they  are  maintained  in  German  territory,  this  cost 
to  be  the  first  charge  on  her  resources.  The  cost  of  reparation  is  the  next  charge, 
after  making  such  provisions  for  payments  for  imports  as  the  allies  may  deem  neces- 
sary. 

Germany  is  to  deliver  to  the  allied  and  associated  powers  all  sums  deposited  in 
Germany  by  Turkey  and  Austria-Hungary  in  connection  with  the  financial  support 
extended  by  her  to  them  during  the  war,  and  to  transfer  to  the  allies  all  claims  against 
Austria-Hungary,  Bulgaria  or  Turkey  in  connection  with  agreements  made  during  the 
war. 

Germany  confirms  the  renunciation  of  the  treaties  of  Bucharest  and  Brest-Litovsk. 

On  the  request  of  the  reparations  commission,  Germany  will  expropriate  any 
right,  rights  or  interests  of  her  nationals  in  public  utilities  in  ceded  territories  or  those 
administered  by  mandatories,  and  in  Turkey,  China,  Eussia,  Austria-Hungary,  and  Bul- 
garia, and  transfer  them  to  the  reparations  commission,  which  will  credit  her  with 
their  value. 

Germany  guarantees  to  repay  to  Brazil  the  fund  arising  from  the  sale  of  Sao  Paulo 
coffee  which  she  refused  to  allow  Brazil  to  withdraw  from  Germany, 

Economic  Clauses 
SECTION   X 

Cfustoms— For  a  period  of  six  months  Germany  shall  impose  no  tariff  dutiea 
higher  than  the  lowest  in  force  in  1914,  and  for  certain  agricultural  products,  wines, 
vegetables,  oils,  artificial  silk,  and  washed  or  scoured  wool  this  restriction  obtains  for 
two  a»d  a  half  years,  or  for  five  years  unless  further  extended  by  the  league  of  nations. 

Germany  must  give  most  favored  nation  treatment  to  the  allied  and  associated 
powers.  She  shall  impose  no  customs  tariff  for  five  years  on  goods  originating  in 
Alsace-Lorraine  and  for  three  years  on  goods  originating  in  former  German  territory 
ceded  to  Poland  with  the  right  of  observation  of  a  similar  exception  for  Luxemburg. 

supping — Ships  of  the  allied  and  associated  powers  shall  for  five  years,  and 
thereafter  under  condition  of  reciprocity,  unless  the  league  of  nations  otherwise 
decides,  enjoy  the  same  rights  in  German  ports  as  German  vessels  and  have  most  favored 
nation  treatment  in  fishing,  coasting  trade,  and  towage  even  in  territorial  waters. 
Ships  of  a  country  having  no  sea  coast  may  be  registered  at  some  one  place  within 
its  territory. 

Unfair  competition — Germany  undertakes  to  give  the  trade  of  the  allied  and 
associated  powers  adequate  safeguards  against  unfair  competition  and  in  particular 
to  suppress  the  use  of  false  wrappings  and  markings  and  on  condition  of  reciprocity  to 
respect  the  laws  and  judicial  decisions  of  allied  and  associated  states,  in  respect  of 
regional  appellations  of  wines  and  spirits. 

Treatment  of  Nationalfr— Germany  shall  impose  no  exceptional  taxes  or  restric- 
tion upon  the  nationals  of  the  allied  and  associated  states  for  a  period  of  five  years 
and  unless  the  league  of  nations  acts  for  an  additional  five  years,  German  nationality 
shall  not  continue  to  attach  to  a  person  who  has  become  a  national  of  an  allied  or 
associated  state. 

496 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Conventions — Some  forty  multilateral  conventions  are  renewed  between  Germany 
and  the  allied  and  associated  powers,  but  special  conditions  are  attached  to  Ger- 
many's readmisfiion  to  several. 

As  to  postal  and  telegraphic  conventions  Germany  must  not  refuse  to  make 
reciprocal  agreements  with  the  new  states.  She  must  agree  as  respects  the  radio- 
telegraphic  convention  to  provisional  rules  to  be  communicated  to  it  and  adheres  to 
the  new  convention  when  formulated. 

In  the  North  sea  fisheries  and  North  sea  liquor  traffic  convention,  rights  of 
inspection  and  police  over  associated  fishing  boats  shall  be  exercised  for  at  least 
five  years  only  by  vessels  of  these  powers.  As  to  the  international  railway  union  Ger- 
many shall  adhere  to  the  new  convention  when  formulated. 

As  to  the  Chinese  customs  tariff  arrangement,  the  arrangements  of  1905  regard- 
ing Whangpoo  and  the  Boxer  indemnity  of  1901;  France,  Portugal,  and  Roumania, 
as  to  the  Hague  convention  of  1903  relating  to  civil  procedure;  and  Great  Britain  and 
the  United  States,  as  to  article  3  of  the  Samoan  treaty  of  1899,  are  relieved  of  all 
obligation  toward  Germany. 

Each  allied  and  associated  state  may  renew  any  treaty  with  Germany  insofar 
as  consistent  with  the  peace  treaty  by  giving  notice  within  six  months.  Treaties 
entered  into  by  Germany  since  Aug.  1,  1914,  with  other  enemy  states  and  before  or 
since  that  date  with  Roumania,  Russia,  and  governments  representing  parts  of  Russia 
are  abrogated  and  any  concession  granted  under  pressure  by  Russia  to  German  sub- 
jects annulled. 

The  allied  and  associated  states  are  to  enjoy  most  favored  nation  treatment  under 
treaties  entered  into  by  Germany  and  other  enemy  states  before  Aug.  1,  1914,  and 
under  treaties  entered  into  by  Germany  and  neutral  states  during  the  war. 

Pre-War  Debts — A  system  of  clearing  houses  is  to  be  created  within  three  months, 
one  in  Germany  and  one  in  each  allied  and  associated  state  which  adopts  the  plan  for 
the  payment  of  pre-war  debts,  including  those  arising  from  contracts  suspended 
by  the  war,  for  the  adjustment  of  the  proceeds  of  the  liquidation  of  enemy  property  and 
the  settlement  of  other  obligations. 

Each  participating  state  assumes  responsibility  for  the  payment  of  all  debts  owing 
by  its  nationals  to  nationals  of  the  enemy  states  except  in  cases  of  pre-war  insolvency 
of  the  debtor. 

The  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  private  enemy  property  in  each  participating  state 
may  bo  used  to  pay  the  debts  owed  to  the  nationals  of  that  state,  direct  payment 
from  debtor  to  creditor  and  all  communications  relating  thereto  being  prohibited. 

Disputes  may  be  settled  by  arbitration  by  the  courts  of  the  debtor  country  or 
by  the  mixed  arbitral  tribunal.  Any  ally  or  associated  power  may,  however,  decline 
to  participate  in  this  system  by  giving  Germany  six  months'  notice. 

Enemy  Property — Germany  shall  restore  or  pay  for  all  private  enemy  property 
seized  or  damaged  by  her,  the  amount  of  damages  to  be  fixed  by  the  mixed  arbitral 
tribunal.  The  allied  and  associated  states  may  liquidate  German  private  property 
within  their  territories  as  compensation  for  property  of  their  nationals  not  restored  or 
paid  for  by  Germany,  for  debts  owed  to  their  nationals  by  German  nationals,  and  for 
other  claims  against  Germany, 

Germany  is  to  compensate  its  nationals  for  such  losses  and  to  deliver  within 
six  months  all  documents  relating  to  property  held  by  its  nationals  in  allied  and 
associated  states. 

All  war  legislation  as  to  enemy  property  rights  and  interests  is  confirmed  and 
all  claims  by  Germany  against  the  allied  or  associated  governments  for  acts  under 
exceptional  war  measures  abandoned. 

Contracts — Pre-war  contracts  between  allied  and  associated  nationals,  excepting 
the  United  States,  Japan,  and  Brazil,  and  German  nationals  are  cancelled,  except  for 
debts  for  accounts  already  performed,  agreements  for  the  transfer  of  property  where 
the  property  had  already  passed,  leases  of  land  and  houses,  contracts  of  mortgage, 
pledge  of  lien,  mining  concessions,  contracts  with  governments,  and  insurance  con- 
tracts. 

497 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

Mixed  arbitral  tribunals  shall  be  established,  of  three  members,  one  choosen  b7 
Germany,  one  by  the  associated  states,  and  the  third  by  agreement,  or,  failing  which, 
by  the  president  of  Switzerland.  They  shall  have  jurisdiction  over  aU  disputes  as  to 
contracts  concluded  before  the  present  peace  treaty. 

Fire  insurance  contracts  are  not  censidered  dissolved  by  the  war,  even  if  pre- 
miums have  not  been  paid,  but  lapse  at  the  date  of  the  first  annual  premium  falling 
due  three  months  after  the  peace. 

Life  insurance  contracts  may  be  restored  by  payments  of  accumulated  premiums 
with  the  interest,  sums  falling  due  on  such  contracts  during  the  war  to  be  recoverable 
with  interest.  Marine  insurance  contracts  are  dissolved  by  the  outbreak  of  war,  except 
where  the  risk  insured  against  had  already  been  incurred. 

Where  the  risk  had  not  attached,  premiums  paid  are  recoverable;  otherwise,  premiums 
due  and  sums  due  on  losses  are  recoverable.  Reinsurance  treaties  are  abrogated  unless 
invasion  had  made  it  impossible  for  the  reinsured  to  find  another  reinsurer. 

Any  allied  or  associated  power,  however,  may  cancel  all  the  contracts  running 
between  its  nations  and  a  German  life  insurance  company,  the  latter  being  obligated 
to  hand  over  the  proportion  of  its  assets  attributable  to  such  policies. 

Industrial  Property — Rights  as  to  industrial,  literary  and  artistic  property  are 
re-established,  the  special  war  measures  of  the  allied  and  associated  powers  are 
ratified  and  the  right  reserved  to  impose  conditions  on  the  use  of  German  patents 
and  copyrights  when  in  the  public  interest.  Except  as  between  the  United  States 
and  Germany,  pre-war  licenses  and  rights  to  sue  for  infringements  committed  during 
the  war  are  cancelled. 

Opium — The  contracting  powers  agree,  whether  or  not  they  have  signed  and 
ratified  the  opium  convention  of  Jan.  23,  1912,  or  signed  the  special  protocol  opened 
at  the  Hague  in  accordance  with  resolutions  adopted  by  the  third  opium  conference 
in  1914,  to  bring  the  said  convention  into  force  by  enacting  within  twelve  months  of 
the  peace  the  necessary  legislation. 

Religious  Missions — The  allied  and  associated  powers  agree  that  the  properties 
of  religious  missions  in  territories  belonging  or  ceded  to  them  shall  continue  in  their 
work  under  the  control  of  the  powers,  Germany  renouncing  all  claims  in  their  behalf. 

Air  Control 
SECTION  XI 

Aerial  Navigation — Aircraft  of  the  allied  and  associated  powers  shall  have  full 
liberty  of  passage  and  landing  over  and  in  German  territory,  equal  treatment  with  Ger- 
man planes  as  to  use  of  German  airdromes,  and  with  most  favored  nation  planes 
as  to  internal   commercial  traffic  in   Germany, 

Germany  agrees  to  accept  allied  certificates  of  nationality,  airworthiness  or  com- 
petency or  licenses  and  to  apply  the  convention  relative  to  aerial  navigation  concluded 
between  the  allied  and  associated  powers  to  her  own  aircraft  over  her  own  territory. 
These  rules  apply  until  1923  unless  Germany  has  since  been  admitted  to  the  league 
of  nations  or  to  the  above  convention. 

Freedom  of  transit — Germany  must  grant  freedom  of  transit  through  her  territories 
by  rail  or  water  to  persons,  goods,  ships,  carriages,  and  mails  from  or  to  any  of  the 
alUed  or  associated  powers,  without  customs  or  transit  duties,  undue  delays,  restric- 
tions, or  discriminations  based  on  nationality,  means  of  transport,  or  place  of  entry  or 
departure. 

Goods  in  transit  shall  be  assured  all  possible  speed  of  journey,  especially  perishable 
goods. 

Germany  may  not  divert  traffic  from  its  normal  course  in  favor  of  her  own  trans- 
port routes  or  maintain  "control  stations"  in  connection  with  trans-migration  traffic. 
She  may  not  establish  any  tax  discrimination  against  the  ports  of  allied  or  associated 
powers;  must  grant  the  latter 's  seaports  aU  factors  and  reduced  tariffs  granted  her 
own  or  other  nationals,  and  afford  the  allied  and  associated  powers  equal  rights  with 

498 


TEE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

those  of  her  own  nationals  in  her  ports  and  waterways,  save  that  she  is  free  to  open 
or  close  her  maritime  coasting  trade. 

Free  zones  In  ports — Free  zones  existing  in  German  ports  on  Aug.  1,  1914,  must 
be  maintained  with  due  facilities  as  to  warehouses  and  packing,  without  discrimina- 
tion and  without  charges  except  for  expenses  of  administration  and  use.  Goods  leaving 
the  free  zones  for  consumption  in  Germany  and  goods  brought  into  the  free  zones 
from  Germany  shall  be  subject  to  the  ordinary  import  and  export  taxes. 

Gennan  Rivers  Open  To  AU 

SECTION  xn 

International  Rivers — The  Elbe  from  the  junction  of  the  Vltava,  the  Vltava  from 
Prague,  the  Oder  from  Oppa,  the  Niemen  from  Grodno,  and  the  Danube  from  Ulm  are 
declared  international  together  with  their  connections.  The  riparian  states  must  ensure 
good  conditions  of  navigation  within  their  territories  unless  a  special  organization  exists 
therefor.  Otherwise  appeal  may  be  had  to  a  special  tribunal  of  the  league  of  nations, 
which  also  may  arrange  for  a  general  international  waterways  convention. 

The  Elbe  and  the  Oder  are  to  be  placed  under  international  commissions  to  meet 
within  three  months,  that  for  the  Elbe  composed  of  four  representatives  of  Germany, 
two  from  Czecho-Slovakia,  and  one  each  from  Great  Britain,  France,  Italy,  and  Bel- 
gium, and  that  for  the  Oder  composed  of  one  each  from  Poland,  Russia,  Czecho-Slovakia, 
Great  Britain,  France,  Denmark  and  Sweden. 

If  any  riparian  state  on  the  Niemen  should  so  request  of  the  league  of  nations 
a  similar  commission  shall  be  established  there.  These  commissions  shall,  upon  request 
of  any  riparian  state,  meet  within  three  months  to  revise  existing  international  agree- 
ment. 

The  Danube — The  European  Danube  commission  reassumes  its  pre-war  powers,  for 
the  time  being,  with  representatives  of  only  Great  Britain,  Italy  and  Eoumania.  The 
upper  Danube  is  to  be  administered  by  a  new  international  commission  until  a  definitive 
state  be  drawn  up  at  a  conference  of  the  powers  nominated  by  the  allied  and  associated 
governments  within  one  year  after  the  peace. 

The  enemy  governments  shall  make  full  reparations  for  all  war  damages  caused 
to  the  European  commission;  shall  cede  their  river  facilities  in  surrendered  territorj', 
and  give  Czecho-Slovakia,  Serbia  and  Eoumania  any  rights  necessary  on  their  shores 
for  carrying  out  improvements  in  navigation. 

Rhine  and  Moselle — The  Rhine  is  placed  under  the  central  commission  to  meet 
at  Strasbourg  within  six  months  after  the  peace  and  to  be  composed  of  four  repre- 
sentatives of  France,  which  shall  in  addition  select  the  president;  four  of  Germany, 
and  two  each  of  Great  Britain,  Italy,  Belgium,  Switzerland  and  the  Netherlands. 

Germany  must  give  France  on  the  course  of  the  Rhine  included  between  the 
two  extreme  points  of  her  frontiers  all  rights  to  take  water  to  feed  canals,  while  her- 
self agreeing  not  to  make  canals  on  the  right  bank  opposite  France.  She  must  also 
hand  over  to  France  all  her  drafts  and  designs  for  this  part  of  the  river. 

Belgium  is  i^  be  permitted  to  build  a  deep  draft  Rhine-Meuse  canal  if  she  so  desires 
within  twenty-five  years,  in  which  case  Germany  must  construct  the  part  within  her 
territory  on  plans  drawn  by  Belgium;  similarly,  the  interested  allied  governments  may 
construct  a  Rhine-Meuse  canal,  both,  if  constructed,  to  come  under  the  competent  inter- 
national commission. 

Germany  may  not  object  if  the  central  Rhine  commission  desires  to  extend  its 
jurisdiction  over  the  lower  Moselle,  the  upper  Rhine,  or  lateral  canals. 

Germany  must  cede  to  the  allied  and  associated  governments  certain  tugs,  vessels, 
and  facilities  for  navigation  on  all  these  rivers,  the  specific  details  to  be  established 
by  an  arbiter  named  by  the  United  States.  Decision  will  be  based  on  the  legitimate 
needs  of  the  parties  concerned  and  on  the  shipping  traflQc  during  the  five  years  before 
the  war.  The  value  will  be  included  in  the  regular  reparation  account.  In  the  case 
of  the  Rhine  shares  in  the  German  navigation  companies  and  property  such  as  wharves 

499 


THE  TBEATY  OF  PEACE 

and  warehouses  held  by  Germany  in  Kotterdam  at  the  outbreak  of  war  must  be  handed 
over. 

Railways .Germany,  in  addition  to  most  favored  nation  treatment  on  her  railways, 

agrees  to  co-operate  in  the  establishment  of  through  ticket  services  for  passengers  and 
baggage;  to  ensure  communication  by  rail  between  the  allied,  associated  and  other 
states;  to  allow  the  construction  or  improvement  within  twenty-five  years  of  such 
lines  as  necessary,  and  to  conform  her  rolling  stock  to  enable  its  incorporation  in 
trains  of  the  allied  or  associated  powers. 

She  also  agrees  to  accept  the  denunciation  of  the  St.  Gothard  convention  if  Switzer- 
land and  Italy  so  request,  and  temporarily  to  execute  instructions  as  to  the  transport 
of  troops  and  supplies  and  the  establishment  of  postal  and  telegraphic  service,  as 
provided. 

Czecho-Slovakia. — To  assure  Czecho-Slovakia  access  to  the  sea,  special  rights  are 
given  her  both  north  and  south.  Towards  the  Adriatic,  she  is  permitted  to  run  her 
own  through  trains  to  Fiume  and  Trieste.  To  the  north,  Germany  is  to  lease  her  for 
ninetj'-nine  years  spaces  in  Hamburg  and  Stettin,  the  details  to  be  worked  out  by  a 
commission  of  three  representing  Czecho-Slovakia,  Germany,  and  Great  Britain. 

The  Kiel  canal — The  Kiel  canal  is  to  remain  free  and  open  to  war  and  merchant 
ships  of  all  nations  at  peace  with  Germany.  Goods  and  ships  of  all  states  are  to  be 
treated  on  terms  of  absolute  equality,  and  no  taxes  to  be  imposed  beyond  those  neces- 
sary for  upkeep  and  improvement  for  which  Germany  is  responsible. 

In  case  of  violation  of  or  disagreement  as  to  these  provisions,  any  state  may 
appeal  to  the  league  of  nations,  and  may  demand  the  appointment  of  an  international 
commission.  For  preliminary  hearing  of  complaints  Germany  shall  establish  a  local 
authority  at  Kiel. 

Aid  for  Labor 
SECTION  XIII 

Members  of  the  league  of  nations  agree  to  establish  a  permanent  organization  to 
promote  international  adjustment  of  labor  conditions,  to  consist  of  an  annual  interna- 
tional labor  conference  and  an  international  labor  oiEce. 

The  former  is  composed  of  four  representatives  of  each  state,  two  from  the 
government  and  one  each  from  the  employers  and  the  employed;  each  of  them  may 
vote  individually.  It  will  be  a  deliberative,  legislative  body,  its  measures  taking  the 
form  of  draft  conventions  or  recommendations  for  legislation,  which,  if  passed  by 
two-thirds  vote,  must  be  submitted  to  the  law-making  authority  in  every  state 
participating. 

Each  government  may  either  enact  the  terms  into  law;  approve  the  principle,  but 
modify  them  to  local  needs;  leave  the  actual  legislation,  in  case  of  a  federal  state,  to 
local  legislatures,  or  reject  the  convention  altogether,  without  further  obligation. 

The  international  labor  office  is  established  at  the  seat  of  the  league  of  nations,  as 
part  of  its  organization.  It  is  to  collect  and  distribute  information  on  labor  throughout 
the  world  and  prepare  agenda  for  the  conference.  It  will  publish  a  periodical  in 
French  and  English,  and  possibly  other  languages. 

Each  state  agrees  to  make  to  it,  for  presentation  to  the  conference,  an  annual  report 
of  measures  taken  to  execute  accepted  conventions;  the  governing  body  is  its  executive. 
It  consists  of  twenty-four  members,  twelve  representing  the  governments,  six  the 
employers,  and_  six  the  employes,  to  serve  for  three  years. 

On  complaint  that  any  government  has  failed  to  carry  out  a  convention  to  which  it 
is  a  party,  the  governing  body  may  make  inquiries  directly  to  that  government,  and,  in 
case  the  reply  is  unsatisfactory,  may  publish  the  complaint  with  comment. 

A  complaint  by  one  government  against  another  may  be  referred  by  the  governing 
body  to  a  commission  of  inquiry  nominated  by  the  secretary  general  of  the  league. 

If  the  commission  report  fails  to  bring  satisfactory  action,  the  matter  may  be 
taken  to  a  permanent  court  of  international  justice  for  final  decision.  The  chief 
reliance  for  securing  enforcement  of  the  law  will  be  publicity,  with  a  possibility  of 
economic  action  in  the  background. 

500 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE 

The  first  meeting  of  the  conference  will  take  place  in  October,  1919,  at  Washington, 
to  tliscuss  the  eight  hour  day,  or  forty-eight  hour  week;  prevention  of  unemployment; 
extension  and  application  of  the  international  conventions  adopted  at  Berne  in  1906, 
prohibiting  night  work  for  women  and  the  use  of  white  phosphorus  in  the  manufacture 
of  matches;  and  employment  of  women  and  children  at  night  or  in  unhealthy  work, 
of  women  before  and  after  childbirth,  including  maternity  benefit,  and  of  children  as 
regards  minimum  age. 

Nine  principles  of  labor  conditions  we  recognize  on  the  ground  that  "the  well 
being,  physical  and  moral,  of  the  industrial  wage  earners  is  of  supreme  international 
importance."  With  exceptions  necessitated  by  differences  of  climate,  habits,  and 
economic  development,  they  include:  The  guiding  principle  that  labor  should  not  be 
regarded  merely  as  a  commodity  or  article  of  commerce;  right  of  association  of 
employers-  and  employes;  a  wage  adequate  to  maintain  a  reasonable  standard  of  life; 
the  eight  hour  day,  or  forty-eight  hour  week;  a  weekly  rest  of  at  least  twenty-f»ur 
hours,  which  should  include  Sunday  Avherever  practicable;  abolition  of  child  labor  and 
assurance  of  the  continuation  of  the  education  and  proper  physical  development  of 
children;  equal  pay  for  equal  work  as  between  men  and  women;  equitable  treatment  of 
all  workers  lawfully  resident  therein,  including  foreigners,  and  a  system  of  inspection 
in  which  women  should  take  part. 

Safeguards  and  Guarantees 

SECTION  XIV 

Guarantee — Western  Europe.  As  a  guarantee  for  the  execution  of  the  treaty,  German 
territory  to  the  west  of  the  Rhine,  together  with  the  bridgeheads,  will  be  occupied 
by  allied  and  associated  troops  for  fifteen  years. 

If  the  conditions  are  faithfully  carried  out  by  Germany  certain  districts,  including 
the  bridgehead  of  Cologne,  will  be  evacuated  at  the  expiration  of  five  years;  certain 
other  districts,  including  the  bridgehead  of  Coblenz,  and  the  territories  nearest  the 
Belgian  frontier,  will  be  evacuated  after  ten  years,  and  the  remainder,  including  the 
bridgehead  of  Mainz,  wdll  be   evacuated   after  fifteen  years. 

In  case  the  interallied  reparation  commission  finds  that  Germany  has  failed  to 
observe  the  whole  or  part  of  her  obligation,  either  during  the  occupation  or  after  the 
fifteen  years  have  expired,  the  whole  or  part  of  the  areas  specified  will  be  reoccupied 
immediately.  If  before  the  expiration  of  the  fifteen  years  Germany  complies  with 
all  the  treaty  undertakings,  the  occupying  forces  will  be  withdrawn  immediately. 

Eastern  Europe — All  German  troops  at  present  in  territories  to  the  east  of  tho 
new  frontier  shall  return  as  soon  as  the  allied  and  associated  governments  deem  wise. 
They  are  to  abstain  from  all  requisitions  and  are  in  no  way  to  interfere  with  measures 
for  national  defense  taken  by  the  government  concerned. 

All  questions  regarding  occupation  not  provided  for  by  the  treaty  will  be  regulated 
by  a  subsequent  convention  or  convention  which  will  have  similar  force  and  effect. 

No  Counter-claims  Allowed 

SECTION  XV 

Miscellaneous — Germany  agrees  to  recognize  the  full  validity  of  the  treaties  of 
peace  and  additional  conventions  to  be  concluded  by  the  allied  and  associated  powers 
with  the  powers  allied  with  Germany;  to  agree  to  the  decisions  to  be  taken  as  to  the 
territories  of  Austria-Hungary,  Bulgaria,  and  Turkey,  and  to  recognize  the  new  states 
in  the  frontiers  to  be  fixed  for  them. 

Germany  agrees  not  to  put  forward  any  pecuniary  claims  against  any  allied  or 
associated  power  signing  the  present  treaty  based  on  events  previous  to  the  coming 
into  force  of  the  treaty. 

Germany  accepts  all  decrees  as  to  German  ships  and  goods  made  by  any  allied  or 
associated  prize  court.  The  allies  reserve  the  right  to  examine  all  decisions  of  Ger- 
man prize  courts.  The  present  treaty,  of  which  the  French  and  British  texts  are  both 
authentic,  shall  be  ratified  and  the  depositions  of  ratifications  made  in  Paris  as  soon 
as  possible.  The  treaty  is  to  become  effective  in  all  respects  for  each  power  on  the 
date  of  deposition  of  its  ratification. 

501 


Map  of  Central  Europe,  Skewing  the  Territorial  EfiFects  of  the  Peace  Treaty. 
See  Key  on  Opposite  Page. 


CHANGES  IN  MAP  OF  EUROPE 

Key  to  Map  on  Opposite  Page 

The  olumge*  tnaOe  <it  the  map  of  Central  Europe  6j/  the  term»  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace  handed  to  thtt 
danmn  peace  d^leoatet  at  VersaiUe*  on  May  7)  19J^,  are  shown  on  the  opponite  page.  The  principal  Une», 
in  a  territorUU  or  geographic  sense,  are  {Bee  corresponding  figures  and  letters  in  the  map): 

1  o    Posen  must  be  ceded  to  Poland, 

UTbe  greater  pari  of  Vp-p^x  Silesia  is  to 
-  •  gotoJPoland.  -  ».^ 

|"«    The  present  border  betJsfeen  Germany^aad 
**^*  Bohemia  is  to  remain  unchanged. 


"t  Alsace-Lorraine,  the  territories  which  were 
^  •  wrenched  from  FVance  in  1871,  are  restored 
to  the  republic  The  French  in  the  lost  prov- 
inces now  regained  are  repatriated,  and  the 
Germans  there  may  become  French  citizens,  if 
they  80  desire,  by  naturalization  after  three 
yearB.    The  public  debt  is  cancelled. 


^-  the  French,  together  with  _the  output  of  the        .  „._  .„  .,      _  ^^   .  .      -nrnvifl^r^  Kv  r^nrr^a^- 


mines.  After  fifteen  years  the  people  of  the 
district  will  rote  whether  they  shall  reftiaiii 
onder  French  control,  under  the  guidance  of 
the  league  of  nations,  or  return  to  Germany. 
This  voting  will  be  open  to  all  inhabitants  over 
20  years  of  age.  , 

o  •  Germany  must  renounce  all  treaties  i^ith 
^*  Luxembourg  and  must  give  up  the  German 
control  of  the  railways  and  other  facilities  in 
the  grand  duchy.  The  duchy  is  coAsidered  to 
have  ceased  to  have  been  part  of  the  Gkrman 
ZoUverein  from  Jan.  1,  1919. 
A  Germany  must*  recognize  the  sovereignty  of 
^*  Belgium  over  the  contested  territory  of 
Morenet,  and  must  cede  all  rights  to  the  districts 
of  Ualmedy  and  Eupen.  The  people  in  six 
months  may  protest,  if  they  wish  to,  tliis  change. 
The  districts  affected  comprise  382  square  miles. 

5    Germany  must  create  a  neutral  zone  thirty 
•  miles   in   depth   east  of   the   Rhine.     '"'"" 


The 


bridgeheads  will  be  occupied  fifteen -years. 
f*    Helgoland,  the  island  fortress,  is  to  be  dis- 
^*  mantled  at  German  expense  and  by  German- 
labor. 

7    The  frontier  between   Germany  and  Den- 
•  mark  will  be  decided  by  a  plebiscite.    The 
people  of  Schleswig-Holstein  will  decide  under, 
the  right  of  self-determination. 

SDarizig  and  the  immediate  vicinity  will  be  a 
•  free  port,  giving  Poland  an  outlet  to  the 

eea.     It  will  be  protected  by  the  league  of 

nations. 

Q   The  territory  around  Memel  must  be  given 

*'•  up  to  the  allies,  who  will  decide  on  its 

destination. 

The  boundaries  of  southern  and  eastern 
Prussia  will  be  decided  by  a  vote  of  the 

people.     The   German   troops   must  move   out 

within  fifteen  days  after  peace  is  signed. 

n     Germany  must  recognize  the  independence 
•  of  the  new  Poland. 
1  f>    The  portion  of  West  Prussia  on  the  left 
*^'  bank  of  the  Vistula  must  be  ceded  to 
Poland. 


10. 


Access  to  the  sea  must  be  provided  by  railroads 
to  the  Adriatic  at  Plxime  and  Triest,  and  in  the 
nortn  Germany  must  lease  spaces  in  Hamburg 
and.  Stettin. 

Germany  must  recognize  tfie  independeiica 
of  German  Austria. 

The  Ruthenians  in  Hungary  are  td  be 
recognized  as  independent, 
The  entire  Russian  boundary  taiust  be 
restored  to  the  lines  of  the  old  Russian 
empire.  The  treaties  of  Brest-Litovsk  and  other 
treaties  with  the  Russian  soviet  government  are- 
abrogated. 

(yr\  Germany  must  accept  any  arrangement 
^^'  the  allies  make  with  Bulgaria. 

The  Germans  must  accept  any  arrange- 
ment the  allies  make  with  Turkey. 


17. 

18. 
19. 


21. 


A. 
B. 
C. 


The  rivers  running  through  the  old  Germany 
and  Austria- Hungary  are  to  be  internationalized 
and  larg^y  controlled  by  representatives  of  the 
allies : 

The  Rhine  will  be  internationalized  on  the 
whole  of  its  navigable  course. 
The  Kiel  canal,  base  of  the  German  fleet, 
is  to  be  opened  to  the  ships  of  the  world. 
The  Elbe  river  from  the  juncture  of  the 
Vltava  to  its  mouth  is  to  be  intemation- 

iilized. 

T\    The  Vltava  as  far  up  as  Prague  is  to  be 

■*-'•  internationalized,  giving  the  city  an  outlet 

to  the  sea. 

EThe  internationalization  of  the  Oder  will 
•   be  between  Oppa  and  the  mouth  of  the 
stream. 

FThe  Niemen  river  must  be  opened  to  the 
•  vessels  of  the  world  as  far  up  as  Grodno. 
The  entire  course  of  the  Danube  from  Ulm 
to  the  Black  sea  is  internationalized. 
The  Moselle  river  is  placed  under  the 
same  international  river  <rt)ntrol  commis- 
sion as  the  Rhine. 


G. 
H 


CHANGES  IN  THE  PEACE  TREATY 

The  changes  in  the  treaty  of  peace  agreed  upon  by  the  Allies 
and  promulgated  June  16,  1919,  when  the  revised  treaty  was  handed 
to  the  Germans,  included  the  following: 

1.  A  plebiscite  for  Upper  Silesia,  with  guarantees  of  coal  from  that  territory. 

2.  Frontier  rectifications  in  "West  Prussia. 

3.  Omission  of  the  third  zone  in  the  Schleswig  plebiscite. 

4.  Temporary  increase  of  the  German  array  from  100,000  to  200,000  men. 

5.  Declaration  of  the  intention  to  submit  within  a  month  of  signature  a  list 
of  those  accused  of  violation  of  the  laws  and  customs  of  war. 

6.  Offer  to  co-operate  with  a  German  commission  on  reparations,  and  to 
receive  suggestions  for  discharging  the  obligation. 

7.  Certain  detailed  modifications  In  the  finance,  economic,  and  ports  and 
waterways  clauses,  including  abolition  of  the  proposed  Kiel  canal  commission. 

8.  Assurance  of  membership  In  the  League  of  Nations  in  the  early  future,  If 
Germany  fulfills  her  obligations. 

After  the  German  national  assembly  at  Weimar  had  voted  in 
favor  of  signing  the  treaty  of  peace,  Sunday,  June  22,  1919,  and 
the  Scheidemann  government  had  been  replaced  by  a  cabinet  headed 
by  Herr  Bauer,  a  new  set  of  plenipotentiaries  was  named  to  sign 
on  behalf  of  Gemiany,  and  the  treaty  ^vas  finally  signed  by  the 
representatives  of  the  Allied  powers  and  Germany,  at  Versailles, 
Saturday,  June  28,  1919. 

The  Germans  delegated  by  the  Bauer  government  to  sign  the 
treaty  were:  Dr.  Herman  Mueller,  foreign  minister;  Dr.  Bell,  min- 
ister of  colonies ;  Herr  Leinert,  and  Herr  Giesberts.  With  their  sig- 
natures came  the  conclusion  of  peace — the  official  end  of  the  great 
World  War. 


504 


CHRONOLOGY  OF  THE  WORLD  WAR 

Dates  of  Important  Battles,  Naval  Engagements,  and  Principal 
Events  of  the  War  from  1914  to  the  Signing  of  the  Peace  Treaty 
in  June,  1919. 

1914 

June  28 — Archduke  Ferdinand  and  wife  assassinated  in  Sarajevo,  Bosnia. 

Joly  28 — Austria-Hungary  declares  war  on  Serbia. 

August  1 — Germany  declares  war  on  Bussia  and  general  mobilization  is 
under  way  in  France  and  Austria-Hungary.  Aug.  2-— German  troops  enter 
Prance  at  Cirey;  Bussian  troops  enter  Germany  at  Schwidden;  German  army 
enters  Luxemburg  over  protest,  and  Germany  asks  Belgium  for  free  passage  of 
her  troops.  Aug.  3 — British  fleet  mobilizes;  Belgium  appeals  to  Great  Britain 
for  diplomatic  aid  and  German  ambassador  quits  Paris. 

Aug.  4 — France  declares  war  on  Germany;  Germany  declares  war  on  Bel- 
gium; Great  Britain  sends  Belgium  neutrality  ultimatum  to  Germany;  British 
army  mobilized  and  state  of  war  between  Great  Britain  and  Germany  is  declared. 
President  Wilson  issues  neutrality  proclamation.  Aug.  5 — Germans  begin 
fighting  on  Belgium  frontier;  Germany  asks  for  Italy's  help.  Aug.  6 — Austria 
declares  war  on  Bussia.  Aug.  7 — Germans  defeated  by  French  at  Altkirch. 
Aug.  9 — Germans  capture  Liege.  Portugal  announces  it  will  support  Great 
Britain;  British  land  troops  in  France.  Aug.  10 — France  declares  war  on 
Austria-Hungary. 

Aug.  12 — Great  Britain  declares  war  on  Austria-Hungary;  Montenegro 
declares  war  on  Germany.  Aug.  15 — Japan  sends  ultimatum  to  Germany  to 
withdraw  from  Japanese  and  Chinese  waters  and  evacuate  Kiao-chow;  Russia 
offers  autonomy  to  Poland.  Aug.  20— German  army  enters  Brussels.  Aug.  23 — 
Japan  declares  war  on  Germany;  Russia  victorious  in  battles  in  East  Prussia. 
Aug.  24 — Japanese  warships  bombard  Tsingtao.  Aug.  25 — Japan  and  Austria 
break  off  diplomatic  relations.  Aug.  28 — English  win  naval  battle  over  German 
fleet  near  Helgoland.  Aug.  29 — Germans  defeat  Russians  at  Allenstein;  occupy 
Amiens;  advance  to  La  Fere,  sixty-five  miles  from  Paris. 

September  1 — Germans  cross  Marne;  bombs  dropped  on  Paris;  Turkish 
army  mobilized;  Zeppelins  drop  bombs  on  Antwerp.  Sept.  2 — Government  of 
France  transferred  to  Bordeaux;  Russians  capture  Lemberg.  Sept.  4 — Germans 
cross  the  Marne.  Sept.  5 — England,  France,  and  Russia  sign  pact  to  make  no 
separate  peace.  Sept.  6 — French  win  battle  of  Marne;  British  cruiser  Path- 
finder sunk  in  North  sea  by  a  German  submarine.  Sept.  7 — Germans  retreat 
from  the  Marne.  Sept.  14 — Battle  of  Aisne  starts;  German  retreat  halted. 
Sept.  16 — First  battle  of  Soissons  fought.  Sept.  20 — Russians  capture  Jaroslau 
and  begin  siege  of  Przemysl. 

October  9-10 — Germans  capture  Antwerp.  Oct.  12 — Germans  take  Ghent. 
Oct.  20 — Fighting  along  Yser  river  begins.  Oct.  29 — Turkey  begins  war  on 
Bussia. 

November  7 — Tsingtro  falls  before  Japanese  troops.  Nov.  9 — German 
cruiser  Emden  destroyed. 

December  11 — German  advance  on  Warsaw  checked.  Dec  14 — Belgrade 
recaptured  by  Serbians.  Dec.  16 — German  cruisers  bombard  Scarborough, 
Hartlepool,  and  Whitby,  on  English  coast,  killing  fifty  or  more  persons;  Aus- 
trians  said  to  have  lost  upwards  of  100,000  men  in  Serbian  defeat.  Dec.  26 
— Italy  occupies  Avlona,  Albania. 

505 


CEBONOLOGY  OF  TEE  WORLD  WAR 

1915 

January  1 — British  battleship  Formidable  sunk.  Jan.  8 — Eoumania  mobi- 
lizes 750,000  men;  violent  fighting  in  the  Argonne.  Jan.  11 — Germans  cross 
the  Rawka,  thirty  miles  from  Warsaw.  Jan.  24 — British  win  naval  battle  in 
North  sea.  Jan.  29 — Russian  army  invades  Hungary;  German  efforts  to  crosi 
Aisne  repulsed. 

rebruary  1 — British  repel  strong  German  attack  near  La  Bassee.  Feb.  2 
— Turks  are  defeated  in  attack  on  Suez  canal.  Feb.  4 —  Russians  capture 
Tarnow  in  Galicia.  Feb.  8 — Turks  along  Suez  canal  in  full  retreat;  Turkish 
land  defenses  at  the  Dardanelles  shelled  by  British  torpedo  boats.  Feb.  11 — 
Germans  evacuate  Lodz.  Feb.  12 — Germans  drive  Russians  from  positions  in 
East  Prussia,  taking  26,000  prisoners.  Feb.  14: — Russians  report  capture  of 
fortifications  at  Smolnik.  Feb.  16 — Germans  capture  Plock  and  Bielsk  in 
Poland;  French  capture  two  miles  of  German  trenches  in  Champagne  district. 

February  17 — Germans  report  they  have  taken  50,000  Russian  prisoners  in 
Mazurian  lake  district.  Feb.  18 — German  blockade  of  English  and  French 
coasts  put  into  effect.  Feb.  19-20 — British  and  French  fleets  bombard  Dar- 
danelles forts.  Feb.  21 — American  steamer  Evelyn  sunk  by  mine  in  North  sea. 
Feb.  22 — German  war  office  announces  capture  of  100,000  Russian  prisoners 
in  engagements  in  Mazurian  lake  region;  American  steamer  Carib  sunk 
by  mine  in  North  sea.  Feb.  28 — Dardanelles  entrance  forts  capitulate  to 
English  and  French. 

Maxcb  4 — Landing  of  allied  troops  on  both  sides  of  Dardanelles  straiti 
reported;  German  U-4  sunk  by  French  destroyers.  March  10 — Battle  of  Neuve 
ChapeUe  begins.  March  14 — German  cruiser  Dresden  sunk  in  Pacific  by  English. 
March  18 — British  battleships  Irresistible  and  Ocean  and  French  battleship 
Bouvet  sunk  in  Dardanelles  strait.  March  22 — Fort  of  Przemysl  surrenders 
to  Russians.  March  23 — Allies  land  troops  on  Gallipoli  peninsula.  March  25-— 
Russians  victorious  over  Austrians  in  Carpathians. 

April  8 — German  auxiliary  cruiser,  Prinz  Eitel  Friedrich,  interned  at 
Newport  News,  Va.  April  16 — Italy  has  1,200,000  men  mobilized  under  arms; 
Austrians  report  complete  defeat  of  Russians  in  Carpathian  campaign.  April 
23 — Germans  force  way  across  Ypres  canal  and  take  1,600  prisoners.  April  26 
— Allies  stop  German  drive  on  Ypres  line  in  Belgium.  April  29 — ^British  report 
regaining  of  two-thirds  of  lost  ground  in  Ypres  battle. 

May  7 — Liner  Lusitania  torpedoed  and  sunk  by  German  submarine  off 
the  coast  of  Ireland  with  the  loss  of  more  than  1,000  lives,  102  Americans. 
May  9 — French  advance  two  and  one-half  miles  against  German  forces  north 
of  Arras,  taking  2,000  prisoners.    May  23 — ^Italy  declares  war  on  Austria. 

Jiine  S — Germans  recapture  Przemysl  with  Austrian  help.  June  18 — * 
British  suffer  defeat  north  of  La  Bassee  canal.  June  28 — Italians  enter  Aus- 
trian territory  south  of  Riva  on  western  shore  of  Lake  Garda. 

July  S — Tolmino  falls  into  Italian  hands.  July  9 — ^British  make  gains 
north  of  Ypres  and  French  retake  trenches  in  the  Vosges.  July  13-^Germana 
defeated  in  the  Argonne.  July  29 — Warsaw  evacuated;  Lublin  captured  by 
Austrians. 

August  4 — Germans  occupy  Warsaw.  Aug.  14 — Austrians  and  Germans 
concentrate  400,000  soldiers  on  Serbian  frontier.  Aug.  21 — Italy  declares 
war  on  Turkey. 

September  1 — Ambassador  Bernstorff  announces  Germans  will  sink  no  more 
liners  without  warning.  Sept.  4 — German  submarine  torpedoes  liner  Hes- 
perian. Sept.  9 — Germans  make  air  raid  on  London,  killing  twenty  persons 
and  wounding  100  others;  United  States  asks  Austria  to  recall  Ambassador 

506 


CERONOLOGY  OF  TEE  WORLD  WAR 

Bumba.  Sept,  20 — Germans  begin  drive  on  Serbia  to  open  route  to  Turkey. 
Sept.  22 — Eussian  army  retreating  from  Vilna,  escapes  German  encircling  move- 
ment. Sept.  25-30 — Battle  of  Champagne,  resulting  in  great  advance  for  allied 
armies  and  causing  Kaiser  Wilhelm  to  rush  to  the  west  front;  German  counter 
Attacks  repulsed. 

October  5 — Russia  and  Bulgaria  sever  diplomatic  relations;  Russian, 
French,  British,  Italian,  and  Serbian  diplomatic  representatives  ask  for  pass- 
ports in  Sofia.  Oct.  10 — Gen.  Mackensen's  forces  take  Belgrade.  Oct.  12 — 
jSdith  Cavell  executed  by  Germans.  Oct.  13 — Bulgaria  declares  war  on  Serbia. 
Oct.  15 — Great  Britain  declares  war  on  Bulgaria.  Oct.  16 — France  declares 
war  on  Bulgaria.  Oct.  19 — Russia  and  Italy  declare  war  on  Bulgaria.  Oct.  27 
— Germans  join  Bulgarians  in  northeastern  Serbia  dnd  open  way  to  Con- 
ftantinople.    Oct.  30 — Germans  defeated  at  Mitau. 

Kovember  9 — Italian  liner  Ancona  torpedoed. 

December  1 — British  retreat  from  near  Bagdad.  Dec.  4 — ^Ford  *'peacd 
party"  sails  for  Europe.  Dec.  8-9 — Allies  defeated  in  Macedonia.  Dec  16-- 
Sir  John  Douglas  Haig  succeeds  Sir  John  French  as  chief  of  English  Mrmied 
«n  west  front. 

1916 

January  8 — ^British  troops  at  Kut-el-Amara  surrounded.  Jan.  9 — ^British 
evacuate  GaUipoli  peninsula.  Jan.  13 — Austrians  capture  Cetinje,  capital  of 
Montenegro.    Jan,  23 — Scutari,  capital  of  Albania,  captured  by  Austrians. 

Pebruary  22 — Crown  prince's  army  begins  attack  on  Verdun. 

March  8 — Germany  declares  war  on  Portugal.  March  15 — Austria-Hungary 
fleelares  war  on  Portugal.     March  24 — Steamer   Sussex  torpedoed  and  sunk. 

April  18 — ^President  Wilson  sends  note  to  Germany.  April  19 — President 
Wilson  speaks  to  congress,  explaining  diplomatic  situation.  April  24 — Insur- 
rection in  Dublin.  April  20-— British  troops  at  Kut-el-Amara  surrender  to 
Turks.    April  30 — Irish  revolution  suppressed. 

May  3 — Irish  leaders  of  insurrection  executed.  May  4 — Germany  makes 
promise  to  change  methods  of  submarine  warfare.  May  13 — Austrians  begin 
great  offensive  against  Italians  in  Trentino.  May  31 — Great  naval  battle  off 
l)anish  coast. 

June  6 — Lord  Kitchener  lost  with  cruiser  Hampshire.  June  11 — Russians 
capture  Dubno.  June  29 — Sir  Roger  Casement  sentenced  to  be  hanged  for 
treason 

July  1 — ^British  and  French  begin  great  offensive  on  the  Somme.  July 
€ — David  Lloyd  George  appointed  secretary  of  war.  July  9 — German 
merchant  submarine  Deutschland  arrives  at  Baltimore.  July  23 — Gen,  Kuro- 
patkin  's  army  wins  battle  near  Riga.  July  27 — English  take  Delville  wood; 
Berbian  forces  begin  attack  on  Bulgars  in  Macedonia. 

August  2 — ^French  take  Fleury.  Aug.  3 — Sir  Roger  Casement  executed  for 
treason.  Aug.  4 — French  recapture  Thiaumont  for  fourth  time;  British  repulse 
Turkish  attack  on  Suez  canal.  Aug,  7 — Italians  on  Isonzo  front  capture  Monte 
Babotino  and  Monte  San  Michele.  Aug.  8 — Turks  force  Russian  evacuation 
of  Bitlis  and  Mush.  Aug.  9 — Italians  cross  Isonzo  river  and  occupy  Austrian 
eity  of  Goeritz.  Aug.  10 — Austrians  evacuate  Stanislau;  allies  take  Doiran, 
Bear  Saloniki,  from  Bulgarians. 

August  19 — German  submarines  sink  British  light  cruisers  Nottingham  and 
Falmouth.  Aug.  24 — French  occupy  Maurepas,  north  of  the  Somme;  Russians 
recapture  Mush  in  Armenia.  Aug.  27 — Italy  declares  war  on  Germany; 
Roumania  enters  war  on  side  of  allies.    Aug.  29 — Field  Marshal  von  Hinden- 

607 


CHRONOLOGY  OF  TEE  WORLD  WAR 

burg  made  chief  of  staff  of  German  armies,  succeeding  Gen.  von  Falkenhayn, 
August  30 — Russian  armies  seize  all  five  passes  in  Carpathians  into  Hungary. 

September  3 — Allies  renew  offensive  north  of  Somme;  Bulgarian  and  Ger- 
man troops  invade  Dobrudja,  in  Roumania.  Sept.  7 — Germans  and  Bulgarians 
capture  Roumanian  fortress  of  Tutrakan;  Roumanians  take  Orsova,  Bulgarian 
city.  Sept.  19 — German-Bulgarian  army  captures  Roumanian  fortress  of 
Silistria.  Sept.  14 — British  for  first  time  use  "tanks."  Sept.  15 — Italians 
begin  new  offensive  on  Carso. 

October  2 — Roumanian  army  of  invasion  in  Bulgaria  defeated  by  Germans 
and  Bulgarians  under  Von  Mackensen.  Oct.  4: — German  submarines  sink  French 
cruiser  Gallia  and  Cunard  liner  Franconia.  Oct.  8 — German  submarines  sink 
six  merchant  steamships  off  Nantucket,  Mass.  Oct.  11 — Greek  seacoast  forts 
dismantled  and  turned  over  to  allies  on  demand  of  England  and  France. 
Oct.  23 — German-Bulgar  armies  capture  Constanza,  Roumania  Oct.  24 — French 
•win  back  Douaumont,  Thiaumont  field  work,  Haudromont  quarries,  and 
Caillette  wood  near  Verdun,  in  smash  of  two  miles. 

November  1 — Italians,  in  new  offensive  on  the  Carso  plateau,  capture 
5,000  Austrians.  Nov.  2 — Germans  evacuate  Fort  Vaux  at  Verdun.  Nov.  5 — 
Germans  and  Austrians  proclaim  new  kingdom  of  Poland,  of  territory  captured 
from  Russia.  Nov.  6 — Submarine  sinks  British  passenger  steamer  Arabia. 
Nov.  7 — Cardinal  Mercier  protests  against  German  deportation  of  Belgians; 
submarine  sinks  American  steamer  Columbian.  Nov.  8 — Russian  army  invades 
Transylvania,  Hungary.  Nov.  9 — ^Austro-German  armies  defeat  Russians  in 
Volhyina  and  take  4,000  prisoners. 

November  13 — British  launch  new  offensive  in  Somm©  region  on  both 
sides  of  Ancre.  Nov.  14 — British  capture  fortified  village  of  Beacourt,  near 
the  Ancre.  Nov.  19 — Serbian,  French,  and  Russian  troops  recapture  Monastir; 
Germans  cross  Transylvania  Alps  and  enter  western  Roumania.  Nov.  21 — 
British  hospital  ship  Britannic  sunk  by  mine  in  Aegean  sea.  Nov.  23 — Rou- 
manian army  retreats  ninety  miles  from  Bucharest.  Nov.  24 — German- 
Bulgarian  armies  take  Orsova  and  Turnu-Severin  from  Roumanians.  Nov.  25 
— Greek  provisional  government  declares  war  on  Germany  and  Bulgaria. 
Nov.  28 — Roumanian  government  abandons  Bucharest  and  moves  capital  to 
Jassy. 

December  5 — Premier  Herbert  Asquith  of  England  resigns.  Dec.  7 — 
David  Lloyd  George  accepts  British  premiership.  Dec.  8 — Gen.  von  Macken- 
sen captures  big  Roumanian  army  in  Prohova  valley.  Dec.  12 — Chancellor  von 
Bethman-Hollweg  announces  in  reichstag  that  Germany  will  propose  peace; 
new  cabinet  in  France  under  Aristide  Briand  as  premier,  and  Gen.  Robert 
Georges  Nivelle  given  chief  of  command  of  French  army.  Dec.  16 — French  at 
Verdun  win  two  miles  of  front  and  capture  11,000. 

December  19^-Llloyd  George  declines  German  peace  proposals.  Dec.  23 — 
Baron  Burian  succeeded  as  minister  of  foreign  affairs  in  Austria  by  Count 
Czernin.  Dec.  26 — Germany  proposes  to  President  Wilson  "an  immediate 
meeting  of  delegates  of  the  belligerents."  Dec  27 — Bussiana  defeated  ia 
£ve-day  battle  in  eastern  Wallachia,  Roumania. 

1917 

January  1 — Submarine  sinks  British  transport  Ivernia,  Jan.  9 — Russian 
premier,  Trepoff,  resigns.  Golitzin  succeeds  him.  Jan.  31 — Germany  announ- 
ces unrestricted  submarine  warfare. 

February  3 — President  Wilson  reviews  submarine  controversy  before  con- 
gress; United  States  severs  diplomatic  relations  with  Germany;  American 
steamer  Housatonic  sunk  without  warning.    Feb.  7 — Senate  indorses  President's 

508 


CHRONOLOGY  OF  THE  WORLD  WAR 

act  of  breaking  off  diplomatic  relations.  Feb.  12 — United  States  refuses  Ger- 
man request  to  discuss  matters  of  difference  lluless  Germany  withdraws  unre- 
stricted submarine  warfare  order. 

February  14 — Von  BemstorfT  sails  for  Germany.  Feb.  25 — British  under 
Gen.  Maude  capture  Kut-el-Amara;  submarine  sinks  liner  Laconia  without 
warning;  many  lost  including  two  Americans.  Feb.  26 — President  Wilson 
asks  congress  for  authority  to  arm  American  merchantships.  Feb.  28 — Secre- 
tary Lansing  makes  public  Zimmerman  note  to  Mexico,  proposing  Meiican- 
Japanese-Qerman  alliance. 

March  9 — President  Wilson  calls  extra  session  of  congress  for  April  16. 
Slarch  11 — British  under  Gen.  Maude  capture  Bagdad;  revolution  starts  in 
Petrograd.  March  15 — Czar  Nicholas  of  Eussia  abdicates.  March,  17 — French 
and  British  capture  Bapaume.  March  18 — New  French  ministry  formed  by 
Alexander  Bibot. 

March  21 — Russian  forces  cross  Persian  border  into  Turkish  territory; 
American  oil  steamer  Healdton  torpedoed  without  warning.  March  22r— 
United  States  recognizes  new  government  of  Russia.  March  27 — Gen.  Murray's 
British  ei^&dition  into  the  Holy  Land  defeats  Turkish  army  near  Gaza. 

April  2 — President  Wilson  asks  congress  to  declare  that  acts  of  Germany 
constitute  a  state  of  war;  submarine  sinks  American  steamer  Aztec  without 
warning.  April  4— United  States  senate  passes  resolution  declaring  a  state  of 
war  exists  with  Germany.  April  6 — House  passes  war  resolution  and  President 
Wilson  signs  joint  resolution  of  congress.  April  8 — Austria  declares  severance 
of  diplomatic  relations  with  United  States. 

April  9 — British  defeat  Germans  at  Vimy  Ridge  and  take  6,000  prisoners; 
United  States  seizes  fourteen  Austrian  interned  ships.  April  2,6- — Turkey 
severs  diplomatic  relations  with  the  U.  S.  April  28 — Congress  passes  selective 
service  act  for  raising  of  army  of  500,000;  Guatemala  severs  diplomatic  rela- 
tions with  Germany. 

May  7 — War  department  orders  raising  of  nine  volunteer  regiments  of 
engineers  to  go  to  France.  May  14 — Espionage  act  becomes  law  by  passing 
senate.  May  18 — President  Wilson  signs  selective  service  act.  Also  directs 
expeditionary  force  of  regulars  under  Gen.  Pershing  to  go  to  France.  May  19 
— Congress  passes  war  appropriation  bill  of  $3,000,000,000. 

June  5 — Nearly  10,000,000  men  in  U.  S.  register  for  military  service. 
June  12 — King  Constantino  of  Greece  abdicates.  June  13— Gen.  Pershing  and 
staff  arrive  in  Paris.  June  15 — First  Liberty  loan  closes  with  large  over- 
subscription. June  26 — First  contingent  American  troops  under  Gen.  Sibert 
arrives  in  France.  June  29 — Greece  severs  diplomatic  relations  with  Teutonia 
allies. 

July  9 — President  Wilson  drafts  state  militia  into  federal  service.  Also 
places  food  and  fuel  under  federal  control.  July  13 — War  department  order 
drafts  678,000  men  into  military  servi;;e.  July  14 — Aircraft  appropriation  bill 
of  $640,000,000  passes  house;  Chancellor  von  Bethmann-Hollweg's  resignation 
ioiced  by  German  political  crisis. 

July  18 — United  States  government  orders  censorship  of  telegrams  and 
cablegrams  crossing  frontiers.  July  19 — New  German  Chancellor  Michaelis 
declares  Germany  will  not  war  for  conquest;  radicals  and  Catholic  party  ask 
peace  without  forced  acquisitions  of  territory.  July  22 — Siam  declares  war  on 
Germany.  July  23 — Premier  Kerensky  given  unlimited  powers  in  Russia. 
July  28 — United  States  war  industries  board  created  to  supervise  expenditures. 

August  25— Italian  Second  army  breaks  through  Austrian  line  on  laonzo 
front.    Aug.  28 — ^President  Wilson  rejects  Pope  Benedict's  peace  plea, 

509 


CHRONOLOGY  OF  THE  WORLD  WAR 

September  10 — Gen.  Korniloff  demands  control  of  Eussian  government. 
Sept.  11 — Eussian  deputies  vote  to  support  Kerensky.  Korniloff 's  generals 
ordered  arrested.  Sept.  16 — Eussia  proclaims  new  republic  by  order  of  Pre- 
mier Kerensky.  Sept.  20 — Gen.  Haig  advances  mile  through  German  lines  at 
Ypres.    Sept.  21 — Gen.  Tasker  H.  Bliss  named  chief  of  staff,  U.  S.  army. 

October  16 — Germans  occupy  islands  of  Euno  and  Adro  in  the  Gulf  of 
Eiga.  Oct.  25 — French  under  Gen.  Petain  advance  and  take  12,000  prisoners 
on  Aisne  front.  Oct.  27 — Formal  announcement  made  that  American  troops 
in  France  had  fired  their  first  shots  in  the  war.  Oct.  29 — Italian  Isonzo  front 
collapses  and  Austro-German  army  reaches  outposts  of  Udine. 

November  1 — Secretary  Lansing  makes  public  the  Luxburg  "spurlos 
versenkt"  note.  Nov.  7 — Austro-German  troops  capture?  Nov.  9 — Permanent 
interallied  military  commission  created.  Nov.  24 — Navy  department  announces 
capture  of  first  German  submarine  by  American  destroyer.  Nov.  28 — Bolsheviki 
get  absolute  control  of  Eussian  assembly  in  Eussian  elections. 

December  6 — Submarine  sinks  the  Jacob  Jones,  first  regular  warship  of 
American  navy  destroyed.  Dec  7 — Congress  declares  war  on  Austria-Hungary. 
Dec.  8 — Jerusalem  surrenders  to  Gen.  Allenby's  forces. 

1918 

January  5 — ^President  Wilson  delivers  speech  to  congress  giving  "fourteen 
points"  necessary  to  peace.  Jan.  20 — British  monitors  win  seafight  with 
cruisers  Goeben  and  Breslau,  sinking  latter.  Jan.  28 — Eussia  and  Eoumania 
eever  diplomatic  relations. 

Pebruary  2 — United  States  troops  take  over  their  first  sector,  near  Toul. 
Peb.  6 — United  States  troopship  Tuscania  sunk  by  submarine,  126  lost.  Feb. 
11 —  President  Wilson,  in  address  to  congress,  gives  four  additional  peace 
principles,  including  self-determination  of  nations;  Bolsheviki  declare  war  with 
Germany  over,  but  refuse  to  sign  peace  treaty.  Feb.  13 — Bolo  Pasha  sentenced 
to  death  in  France  for  treason.  Feb.  25 — Germans  take  Eeval,  Eussian  naval 
base,  and  Pskov;  Chancellor  von  Hertling  agrees  "in  principle"  with  President 
Wilson's  peace  principles,  in  address  to  reichstag. 

Mardi  1 — ^Americans  repulse  German  attack  on  Toul  sector,  March  2 — ■ 
Treaty  of  peace  with  Germany  signed  by  Bolsheviki  at  Brest-Litovsk.  March 
4 — Germany  and  Eoumania  sign  armistice  on  German  terms.  March  13 — Ger- 
man troops  occupy  Odessa.  March  14 — All  Eussian  congress  of  Soviets  ratifies 
peace  treaty.  March  21 — German  spring  offensive  starts  on  fifty  mile  front. 
March  22 — Germans  take  16,000  British  prisoners  and  200  guns. 

March  23 — German  drive  gains  nine  miles.  "Mystery  gun"  shells  Paris. 
March  24 — Germans  reach  the  Somme,  gaining  fifteen  miles.  American  engi- 
neers rushed  to  aid  British.  March  25 — Germans  take  Bapaume.  March  27 — 
Germans  take  Albert.  March  28 — British  counter  attack  and  gain;  French  take 
three  towns;  Germans  advance  toward  Amiens.  March  29 — "Mystery  gun" 
kills  seventy-five  churchgoers  in  Paris  on  Good  Friday. 

April  4 — Germans  start  second  phase  of  their  spring  drive  on  the  Somme. 
April  10 — Germans  take  10,000  British  prisoners  in  Flanders.  April  16 — Ger- 
mans capture  Messines  ridge,  near  Ypres;  Bolo  Pasha  executed.  April  23 — 
British  and  French  navies  "bottle  up"  Zeebrugge.  April  26 — Germans  capture 
Mount  Kemmel,  taking  6,500  prisoners. 

May  5 — Austria  starts  drive  on  Italy.  May  10 — British  navy  bottles  up 
Ostend.  May  24 — British  ship  Moldavia,  carrying  American  troops,  torpedoed; 
56  lost.  May  27 — Germans  begin  third  phase  of  drive  on  west  front;  gain  five 
miles.  May  28— -Germans  take  15,000  prisoners  in  drive.  May  29— Germans 
take  Soissons  and  menace  Beims.    American  troops  capture  Cantigny.    May 

510 


CEBONOLOGY  OF  TEE  WORLD  WAB 

30 — Germans  Teach  the  Marne,  fifty -five  miles  from  Paris.    May  31 — Germani 
take  45,000  prisoners  in  drive. 

June  1 — Germans  advance  nine  miles;  are  forty-Bix  miles  from  Paris. 
June  3 — Five  German  submarines  attack  U.  S.  coast  and  sink  eleven  ships. 
June  6 — U.  S.  marines  fight  on  the  Marne  near  Chateau  Thierry.  June  9 — 
Germans  start  fourth  phase  of  their  drive  by  advancing  toward  Noyon.  June 
10 — Germans  gain  two  miles.  U.  S.  marines  capture  south  end  of  Belleau 
wood. 

Jane  12 — ^French  and  Americans  start  counter  attack.  June  15 — Austriang 
begin  another  drive  on  Italy  and  take  10,000  prisoners,  June  17 — Italians 
check  Austrians  on  Piave  river.  June  19 — Austrians  cross  the  Piave.  June 
22 — Italians  defeat  Austrians  on  the  Piave.  June  23 — ^Austrians  begin  great 
retreat  across  the  Piave. 

July  18 — Gen.  Foch  launches  allied  offensive,  with  French,  American, 
British,  Italian  and  Belgian  troops.  July  21 — Americans  and  French  capture 
Chateau  Thierry.  July  30 — German  crown  prince  flees  from  the  Marne  and 
withdraws  army. 

Augfust  2 — Soissons  recaptured  by  Foch.  Aug.  4: — Americans  take  Fismes. 
Aug.  5— American  troops  landed  at  ArchangeL  Aug.  7 — Americans  cross  the 
Vesle.    Aug.  16 — Bapaume  recaptured.     Aug.  28 — French  recross  the  Somme. 

September  1 — Foch  retakes  Peronne.  Sept.  12 — Americans  launch  success- 
ful attack  in  St.  Mihiel  salient.  Sept.  28 — Allies  win  on  250  mile  line,  from 
North  sea  to  Verdun.  Sept.  29 — Allies  cross  Hindenburg  line.  Sept.  30 — 
Bulgaria  surrenders,  after  successful  allied  campaign  in  Balkans.  October  1 — 
French  take  St.  Quentin.  Oct.  4 — Austria  asks  Holland  to  mediate  with  allies 
for  peace.  Oct.  & — Germans  start  abandonment  of  Lille  and  burn  Douai.  Oct. 
6— Germany  asks  President  Wilson  for  armistice.  Oct.  7 — Americans  capture 
hills  around  Argonne.  Oct.  8 — President  Wilson  refuses  armistice,  Oct.  9 — 
Allies  capture  Cambrai.  Oct.  10 — Allies  capture  Le  Cateau.  Oct.  11 — American 
transport  Otranto  torpedoed  and  sunk;  500  lost.  Oct.  13 — Foch's  troops  take 
Laon  and  La  Fere. 

October  14 — ^British  and  Belgians  take  Eoulers;  President  Wilson  demands 
•urrender  by  Germany.  Oct.  15— British  and  Belgians  cross  Lys  river,  take 
12,000  prisoners  and  100  guns.  Oct.  16 — Allies  enter  Lille  outskirts.  Oct.  17 — 
Allies  capture  Lille,  Bruges,  Zeebrugge,  Ostend,  and  Douai.  Oct.  18 — Czecho- 
slovaks issue  declaration  of  independence;  Czechs  rebel  and  seize  Prague, 
eaptial  of  Bohemia;  French  take  Thielt. 

October  19 — President  Wilson  refuses  Austrian  peace  plea  and  says  Czecho- 
slovak state  must  be  considered.  Oct.  21 — Allies  cross  the  Oise  and  threaten 
Valenciennes.  Oct.  22 — Haig's  forces  cross  the  Scheldt.  Oct.  23 — President 
Wilson  refuses  latest  German  peace  plea.  Oct.  27 — German  government  asks 
President  Wilson  to  state  terms.    Oct.  28 — Austria  begs  for  separate  peace. 

October  29 — Austria  opens  direct  negotiations  with  Secretary  Lansing. 
Oct.  SO — Italians  inflict  great  defeat  on  Austria;  capture  33,000  Austrians  evac- 
uating Italian  territory.  Oct.  31 — Turkey  surrenders;  Austrians  utterly  routed 
by  Italians;  lose  50,000;  Austrian  envoys,  under  white  flag,  enter  Italian  lines. 

November  1 — Italiana  pursue  beaten  Austrians  across  Tagliamento  river; 
allied  conference  at  Versailles  fixes  peace  terms  for  Germany.  Nov.  3 — Austria 
signs  armistice  amounting  virtually  to  unconditional  surrender.  Nov.  4 — Allied 
terms  are  sent  to  Germany.  Nov.  7 — Germany's  envoys  enter  allied  lines  by 
arrangement. 

November  9 — Kaiser  Wilhelm  abdicates  and  crown  prince  renounces  throne. 
Kov.  10 — Former  Kaiser  Wilhelm  and  his  eldest  son,  Friedrick  Wilhelm,  fle« 
to  Holland  to  escape  widespread  revolution  throughout  Germany. 

511 


CHRONOLOGY  OF  THE  WORLD  WAR 

November  9 — Kaiser  Wilhelm  abdicates  and  crown  prince  renounces  throne. 
British  battleship  Britannia  torpedoed  and  sunk  by  German  submarines  off 
entrance  to  Straits  of  Gibraltar. 

November  10 — Former  Kaiser  Wilhelm  and  his  eldest  son,  Frederick  Wil- 
helm, flee  to  Holland  to  escape  widespread  revolution  throughout  Germany. 
King  of  Bavaria  abdicates. 

November  11 — Armistice  in  effect  at  11-  o  'clock  a.  m.,  Paris  time.  Firing 
ceased  on  all  fronts.  An  American  battery  from  Providence,  Ehode  Island, 
fired  last  shot  at  exactly  11  o'clock  on  the  front  northwest  of  Verdun.  Ger- 
mans began  evacuation  of  Belgium  and  Alsace-Lorraine. 

November  12 — German  republic  proclaimed  at  Berlin.  Emperor  Charles 
of  Austria  abdicates.  Belgium  demands  complete  independence  instead  of 
guaranteed  neutrality.  To  secure  status  as  a  belligerent  at  the  peace  council, 
Eoumania  again  declares  war  on  Germany.  United  States  stops  draft  boards 
and  lifts  war  restrictions  of  industries. 

November  13 — American  troops  cross  the  German  former  frontier  and  enter 
Alsace-Lorraine. 

November  15 — Distinguished  Service  Medal  conferred  on  General  Pershing 
at  his  headquarters  in  Franco  by  General  Tasker  H.  Bliss.  United  States 
PostoflBce  department  takes  control  of  all  ocean  cable  lines,  consent  of  other 
governments  having  been  obtained.  Prof.  Thomas  G.  Maaaryk  proclaimed 
President  of  the  new  Czecho-Slav  republic. 

November  16 — CJopenhagen  reported  many  German  ships  due  for  surrender 
under  armistice  conditions.  Demobilization  of  United  States  troops  ordered  by 
the  government,  beginning  with  those  in  army  camps  at  home.  United  State? 
takes  over  express  service.  Belgian  troops  enter  Brussels.  German  cruiser 
Wiesbaden  torpedoed  by  German  revolutionary  sailors,  with  loss  of  330  lives. 

November  17 — Two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  American  troops  advance 
nine  miles  in  French  territory  evacuated  by  Germans.  French  armies  advance 
across  the  west  boundary  of  Alsace-Lorraine  and  occupy  many  towns.  People 
of  Luxemburg  demand  abdication  of  Grand  Duchess. 

November  29 — The  President  announced  names  of  commissioners  to  rep- 
resent the  United  States  at  peace  conference.  They  were  Woodrow  Wilson, 
President  of  the  United  States;  Robert  Lansing,  Secretary  of  State;  Col. 
Edward  M.  House;  Henry  White,  former  ambassador  to  Italy  and  to  France, 
and  Gen.  Tasker  H.  Bliss,  American  adviser  of  the  supreme  war  council. 

December  4,  1918 — President  Wilson  and  a  numerous  staff  sailed  for 
Europe  from  New  York  aboard  the  George  Washington,  escorted  by  warships 
under  command  of  Admiral  Mayo,  to  attend  the  Peace  Conference  at  Paris, 
France. 

May  7,  1919 — Treaty  of  peace  handed  to  German  peace  delegates  ftt  Ver- 
sailles by  Premier  Clemenceau  of  France. 

June  28,  1919 — Treaty  of  peace  signed  by  Allied  and  German  plenipoten- 
tiaries at  Versailles. 

608* 


♦The  total  number  of  pages  in  this  book  Is  608,  Including  96  pag-ea  of 
Illustrations,  which  are  not  marked  by  folio  numbers,  and  512  pages  of 
numbered   text. 


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